Valentines Day free essay sample

Valentine’s Day is one of the sweetest holidays, which always happens on February 14th. The story on how this holiday came about was, Valentine was a priest who had worked in Rome during the rule of Emperor Claudius the 2nd. The emperor made a rule up that states, soldiers could not get married, and as he thought this made them weaker. Valentine did not like it so he performed secret weddings for couples. Later on, they had caught him and sentenced him to death. Before the time came he had died, he wrote a letter to an unknown women he himself had strong feelings for. The letter was signed â€Å"from your Valentine. † February 14th came and it has been said, that’s the day he died. After he died, the church made him saint for upholding the divine right of marriage and made him the patron saint of lovers and made February 14th St. We will write a custom essay sample on Valentines Day or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Valentine’s Day. Some people believe that Valentine’s Day was invented by the chocolate to make more money and others believe it is another holiday to show even more love to the one’s you love or care about. So I asked junior; Mya Brewer a few questions like, â€Å"What’s the sweetest gesture or gift that anybody has done for you on Valentine’s? † Her mom had surprised her with a necklace and a ring, plus one of her friends took her out to the movies for the night. â€Å"What would you like to do this Valentine’s Day? † She replied with, she would love to go to Great Wolf Lodge. â€Å"What does Valentine’s Day mean to you? † It is the time when you spend with the one’s that you like and love. â€Å"If you could have any gift or anything done for you on Valentine’s Day, what would it be? † She said, a whole lot of chocolates and as well as a nice little shopping spree. This day happens once a year, but is special to many people around the world. If one thinks about it, Valentine’s Day should be celebrated every day because of the spending time with the ones that’s means a lot to you and just doing good deeds Valentines Day free essay sample Valentines Day is a day to express your love, and to celebrate the spirit of love. Every year, the fourteenth day of the month of February has millions across the world presenting their loved ones with candy, flowers, chocolates and other lovely gifts. In many countries, restaurants and eateries are seen to be filled with couples who are eager to celebrate their relationship and the joy of their togetherness through delicious cuisines. There hardly seems to be a young man or woman who is not keen to make the most of the day. History of Valentine’s Day The word Valentine has two meanings. It can imply a card sent or given to a sweetheart) on Saint Valentines Day. It can also indicate any particular person, especially a sweetheart, chosen to receive a greeting on Saint Valentines Day. Both implications of the word come from a time long long ago. We will write a custom essay sample on Valentines Day or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page At a turbulent period of Roman History, when a crumbling Roman empire was facing hostilities from all sides, the country needed valiant soldiers who would be ruthless and able to lay down their lives for the cause of the motherland. Emperor Claudius II felt that marriage was becoming a serious impediment in building a strong national defence as married soldiers felt disinclined to stay away from home for a long time. He issued an edict forbidding marriage to assure quality soldiers. But a kindly priest Valentine came to the rescue of young Romans and secretly married them off. But this good time was not long to last for Claudius II soon got wind of Valentines actions and had him arrested. Though initially impressed by Valentines personality and courage, the emperor tried to force his order on him and is even said to have attempted to convert him. When Valentine refused to obey both royal orders, the incensed emperor ordered his execution. While awaiting his sentence in prison, Valentine is believed to have restored the sight of the jailors daughter with his reported mystical powers. This earned him the friendship of the jailor Asterius as well as his daughter. A little time before his death, Valentine is said to have asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and wrote a farewell message to Asterius daughter signing it as From Your Valentine, a phrase that lived ever after. The Roman Empire was soon to fall, and its end brought everything back to normalcy. The people never forgot Valentine and they created a holiday in memory of their loving priest. Along with Valentines Day, the tradition of sending personal messages also gained popularity among love birds and such handwritten notes of love came to be known as Valentine, a name drawn from the signature of Valentines last letter to Asterius daughter. The first modern valentines reportedly became popular from the early 15th century. Following his defeat in the battle of Agincourt, the young French Duke of Orleans was captured and confined in the Tower of London for many years. During his captivity, he wrote many poems to his wife. About sixty of these remain and have been preserved among the royal papers in the British Museum. When printers came in use, a limited number of cards with verses and sketches began to be produced. However, these were smaller and costlier than the handmade cards which were oversized but economical and elaborate. By the 18th century, it became a common practice in England to exchange hand-made cards on Valentines Day. People began to create valentine cards for their sweethearts by themselves out of lace or ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts. Gradually, the American colonies took on the tradition. But it only during the 1840s that Valentines Day greeting cards began to be commercially produced in the U. S. The first American Valentines Day greeting cards were created by Esther A. Howlanda Mount Holyoke, a graduate and native of Worcester. Mass. Regarded as the Mother of the Valentine, Howland made elaborate Valentine cards with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as scrap. It was only with Howlands mass production of the Valentine cards that the custom gained popularity in the United States. With a reduction in postal rates in the early 19th century, the production of Valentines got a greater thrust. It also helped establish the custom of sending anonymous messages or cards to those one admired. In the 21st century, Valentines Day has become one of the major holidays in the world, especially in the U. S. where it has spawned a multimillion dollar greeting card industry. As per a survey by the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year in the U. S. are Valentines. This is another evidence of the ever increasing popularity of the Valentines, that are seen by many as an extension of the old love letters. A message of love, that is what the Valentine is. Try sending one to your special someone on this Valentines Day. Valentine’s Day in United States In the United States and  Canada, Valentine’s Day is an extremely popular festival. Here, the day is observed as a holiday. Originally held to honor St Valentine and express love to sweethearts, the scope of the day has come to be so widened that it has now become an occassion to express gratitude and love to not only sweethearts and spouses, but also to teachers, parents or any other close relation or acquaintance. The modern celebrations of the day sees people complementing their dear ones with gifts that include popular items as cards, fresh flowers like rose, chocolates and candies. Dinner and dance parties are specially organized all over the country to celebrate the occasion. Many couples hold private celebrations in homes or restaurants and  gift flowers, a box of candy, or some other present to one another. Sending candies on Valentines Day has been a very popular tradition and it still is. Most valentine candy boxes are heart-shaped and tied with red ribbon. These contain tiny pastel-colored candies shaped like hearts with some lovely messages like Be Mine, or Thank You printed on them. In the US, children celebrate Valentines Day with great enthusiasm. In keeping with their interest, many schools hold Valentines Day programmes where little students perform songs, dance, skits and plays. Kids handcraft gifts and cards on this occassion and present them to their friends and teachers. In some schools, the children organize a classroom party and put all the valentines into a box they have decorated. The celebration culminates with a teacher or child distributing the cards. Older students construct candy baskets and gifts, and place on them cards trimmed with hearts and cupids. They also organize dances and parties. A ollective endeavor is made to make the day a special one. Valentine’s Day in Romania In Romania, Valentine’s Day was not traditionally celebrated on 14th February, as in the rest of the world. For a long time, the country celebrated its love festival on 24th February, which is known as Dragobete in the local language. Dragobete, the son of Dochia,  was a mythological deity in Romania, similar to Eros or Cup id. He was a handsome man who liked to indulge in love affairs. He used to celebrate his love affairs, a tradition that was picked up later by the Romanian youth. The youngsters in the country would meet to celebrate this day and have made the tradition last for so long. There is also a belief held by some that birds got engaged on this day and since birds are considered to be the messengers of god in Romania, the day also holds a deep significance for the people of this country. There is a common belief in Romania that those who participate in Dragobete festivities are protected against sickness for the entire year. Traditionally, on this day, young Romanians used to dress in their Sunday dresses and meet in the center of the village or in front of the church. They used to go singing, if the weather was good, look for snowdrops or other spring flowers, tell stories and play games. The present day Valentine’s Day celebrations borrow heavily from the traditions of the past. In the recent times, the Romanians have begun to celebrate their Valentine’s Day on 14th February, just like most of the other countries in the world. Romanians celebrate this day by giving gifts to their loved one. Cards and flowers are given to make each other feel special and wanted. Gift baskets are also common. Young lovers treat their mates in a very special way, on this romantic occasion. It is not uncommon to find people going out for a movie or candle light dinner with their valentine Craft making and cooking special meals are also some of the common Valentine’s Day activities. Lovers try homemade crafts to give personalized gifts to their partner. Mostly, valentine couples are seen restaurants, parks, and other Romanian hotspots. Some couples are in a holiday mood and haunt the beautiful Romanian getaways to celebrate the day privately, in the company of their beloved and beautiful locales. The youngsters, who do not find their valentine, spend the day in the company of their friends, relatives and family. The celebration of Valentines Day is not  limited  to lovers but includes any and everyone loved by us, be it our  parents, siblings, children, friends, relatives or dear ones. Popular conception and lopsided media  promotion  has resulted in Valentines Day being widely regarded only as a day for lovers. And yet, the occasion is not so. In its true sense, Valentines Day celebrates  love. The festival is a celebration of  love. Think clear and think hard and you are sure to arrive at the conclusion that Saint Valentine stood up to defend  love  and not romantic partners.