History

Malicious rumours have it that the gifts trade invented Valentine's day in order to increase profit on another day of the year. 

Or that it was an invention of florists, who claim that giving away flowers on February 14th is essential. 

But all that is not true.

The tradition of Valentine's day is older. 

It is said that there was a bishop named Valentin who married couples secretly although the emperor forbade it. 

He died on a February 14th which was also the day on which the Romans celebrated "Lupercalia". 

Lupercalia was the feast of the goddess June, the patron of marriage. 

In memory of these two events, 

the 14th of February was later called Valentine's day.

It was a custom on that day that husbands gave their wives flowers or that bachelors dated unmarried women. 

In fact, this custom has survived until today.

Many centuries later Valentine's day came into fashion in England again. Valentine couples were arranged who dated on the evening of that day. From England the tradition swept over to the USA where dating on Valentine's day still is important.

Anyway, it does not matter whether the history of the Valentine's day really is true because nobody is forced to celebrate it * apart from some women forcing their husbands! 

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