On Wednesday, Feb. 14, and the days leading up to it, love is in the air. All around the world, people celebrate their adoration for those around them. Red roses, hearts, and chocolates adorn gifts from friends, family, and romantic partners. Valentine’s Day highlights the importance of showing others they are loved and appreciated.
According to Britannica, Valentine’s Day became a holiday of honoring love in the 14th century. Before that, it was coined to have originated partially from the Roman festival Lupercalia, which celebrated the near arrival of spring and included pairing women off with men in a lottery-like system. While there were many martyrs in the Christian religion named Valentine, the two most common beliefs are that emperor Claudius II Gothicus or bishop St. Valentine of Terni was the reason for the name ‘Valentine’s Day’. Gothicus allegedly signed a note “from your valentine” that was sent to one whom he had befriended and helped heal. St. Valentine holds the legend that he married couples in secret which is why the holiday is associated with love in current times.
In the 1500s, cards for spreading love became a norm, and by the end of the 1700s, they were printed and distributed regularly. Commercials emphasizing the spirit of true love came in around the 1800s, and from there the holiday only grew. Cupid, the Roman mythological God of love, began to be a symbol of the holiday and still holds his place as one today. Non-anatomical hearts are another very common figure used to represent the season of love. Due to their mating season falling right around the time Valentine’s Day is celebrated, they are yet another symbol used to represent the holiday.
Sophia St. Louis, a 2023 WWS graduate, shared how she and her boyfriend planned to express their love for each other this Feb. 14. “Liam took me out to dinner at an Italian restaurant in uptown Normal, Ill. and then we went to the record store, it was perfect,” St. Louis expressed.
After surveying WWS students and staff about their Valentine’s Day plans, 35.3 percent of those who responded indicated that they made plans for Feb. 14. . This can partially be due to Valentine’s Day falling on a Wednesday this year, as many people are busy with their careers and other activities required of them.
No matter what your plans are this holiday season of love, remember to take time to show those around you that you care for them!
