Paper Creations, ETC: Why do We Celebrate Valentine's Day?

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Why do We Celebrate Valentine's Day?

The fourteenth of February is called Valentine's Day. But who was Valentine? What does Valentine's Day mean?
Valentine was a good man who lived in Europe nearly two thousand years ago. He was a teacher - a Christian teacher. At that time the emperor of Rome was not a Christian. The emperor hated the Christians and had many of them put to death.
Those Christians who were real martyrs, and Valentine was one too. He was sentenced to death by the emperor because he taught people about Jesus' love for them. It is believed that he was killed on February 14, A.D. 269
It was more than 200 years after Valentine's death before people began to call any day after him; but at last the 14th of February was chosen, and it has been called Valentine's Day ever since. In France, England, and in the United States the day has been celebrated every year for a long time.
In France and England ladies and gentlemen used to play games on Valentine's Day. Here is one of the games:
The names of all the ladies were written on pieces of paper and thrown into a box. Then the gentlemen came up, one at a time, and were blindfolded. When one was blindfolded, he put his hand into the box and drew out a piece of paper. The lady whose name was on the paper he drew could then claim him as her "Valentine" for a whole year.
Sometimes they would exchange presents; sometimes the gentleman would make the lady a present, but receive none from her.
In the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated by the exchange of letters, flowers, cards, pictures, chocolate or other gifts. The pictures that we call valentines are of many different shapes, sizes, colors, and styles.
The true purpose for Valentine's Day is for good friends to try to make one another happy. It is a day for beautiful things - for beautiful words, beautiful pictures, beautiful thoughts, beautiful deeds. Valentine was a good man - his very name means goodness and strength; and Valentine's Day ought to represent that.

So, now that you know the real meaning to celebrate Valentine's Day, make something for those you love. Cut a paper in a heart shape, write something nice and give it away. In other words, cheer someone up.