The History of Valentine's Day, and Why We Celebrate

The History of Valentine's Day, and Why We Celebrate

Valentine’s Day may be associated with romance, but the history of the holiday isn’t exactly lovey-dovey. Here are the facts you may not know—plus, fun ideas for Valentine's Day 2025.

Whether you love Valentine's Day or hate it, one thing is clear: The holiday goes way back. And while it's now known for kissing, Valentine's Day gifts, and hard-to-get dinner reservations, the origins of the holiday are far less romantic. Here, the Valentine's Day history that wouldn't make it into a rom-com, including a martyred saint and a massacre.

When Is Valentine’s Day?

First, a quick refresher: Valentine's Day always falls on February 14, but the day of the week varies by year. In 2025, Valentine's Day will be on a Friday for the first time since 2020.

How Did Valentine’s Day Start?

Some historians believe it has roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. Held yearly on February 15, Lupercalia celebrated the coming of spring and fertility. It involved animal sacrifice, lots of drunken revelry, and possibly a ritual in which men and women were paired off by choosing names from a jar.

As Christianity spread, pagan rituals fell out of favor. At the end of the 5th century AD, Pope Gelasius I outlawed the celebration. He's sometimes credited with implementing St. Valentine's Day, a holy feast day, to replace it, but we don't have definitive proof of that. Regardless, the Christian holiday eventually overtook the riotous Lupercalia.

Who Was St. Valentine?

St. Valentine is the patron saint of lovers, people with epilepsy, and beekeepers, among other things, but the real-life history of the man is unknown. There are various legends about a Christian figure named Valentine or Valentinus who was martyred on February 14 in the 3rd century AD.

In one story, St. Valentine was a Roman priest and physician who refused to convert to paganism and was executed by Emperor Claudius II in about 270 AD. Prior to his execution, he miraculously healed the daughter of his jailer. As the legend goes, he then fell in love with the daughter and, on the day of his execution, wrote her a letter signed "from your Valentine."

In another story, St. Valentine was executed because he secretly performed weddings for soldiers, who were forbidden to marry according to an edict from Claudius II.

The facts are so murky that the Catholic Church removed him from the General Liturgical Calendar in 1969, though it still recognizes him as a saint. Whoever the man was, the feast day in his name replaced the pagan Roman festival of Lupercalia.

Before the 14th century, St. Valentine's Day was primarily about honoring a Christian martyr. The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer is credited with connecting St. Valentine's Day to the idea of romance. Chaucer lived in the Middle Ages, the era of courtly love, when broad, romantic statements of devotion—poems, songs, paintings—celebrated partnership. In his circa 1382 poem "The Parliament of Fowls," possibly written to commemorate the engagement of King Richard II, he envisions birds gathering on St. Valentine's Day to choose their mates. The goddess Nature declares: "You know that on Saint Valentine's Day / By my statute and through my governance / You come to choose — and then fly your way — / Your mates, as I your desires enhance." From then on, Valentine's Day was seen as a day of romantic love. So we can thank poetry—the ultimate romantic art form—for our modern-day idea of the holiday.

Yet the romantic holiday isn't immune to tragedy. During Prohibition in Chicago, seven men were killed by a gang organized by Al Capone on February 14, 1929. The Valentine's Day Massacre became a flashpoint in Prohibition history, with police and lawmakers going after the gangs and mobs that had formed in cities to control then-illegal substances like alcohol.

Why Do We Send Valentines?

Love letters, of course, go way back; if the legend of St. Valentine is true, his missive to the jailer's daughter probably counts as the first valentine. But historians say that the earliest valentines as we think of them today came about in Europe and the United States in the 17th century. They were possibly inspired by the German tradition of exchanging Freundschaftskarten, or friendship cards. These early valentines were handmade—sometimes very elaborately with lace and ribbons—and inscribed with sentimental messages. Over time, as printing and postal services advanced, valentines became a big commercial business. Today, according to Hallmark, about 145 million valentines are sold every year, not counting the boxed sets often used for classroom exchanges. We think DIY Valentine's card ideas are still worth trying, though!

What Is Galentine's Day, and How Is It Related to Valentine's Day?

A modern and fun take on the holiday, Galentine's Day (or Palentine's Day) is a recent addition to Valentine's Day history. It seems to have been popularized by Amy Poehler's character Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation. Celebrated on February 13, it's a day to honor the friends you love. Galentine's Day gifts have become a nice way to celebrate the people who mean so much to you.

Is Valentine's Day an Official Holiday?

While Valentine's Day is celebrated around the world—in the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia, South Korea, France, Argentina, and Mexico, among other countries—it's no longer an official Catholic holiday. And unfortunately for all the romantics out there, it's not a bank holiday or day off.

12 Romantic Ideas for Celebrating Valentine's Day at Home

What's the Meaning of Valentine’s Day?

Over the centuries, Valentine's Day has been a religious feast day and a secular day of romance. In its earliest incarnation, it was even a ritual celebrating fertility and springtime. Given how much it's changed over time, we say the meaning of Valentine's Day can be whatever you want. You can skip the celebrations completely, buy yourself some chocolate or flowers, or express your love and appreciation for the people in your life, whether they're coworkers, romantic partners, friends, or family members.

Want to impress your friends and family with your Valentine's Day knowledge (or just win your Valentine's Day trivia contest at the local pub)? Check out these Valentine's Day fun facts:

  • According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent an average of about $186 on Valentine's Day gifts in 2024, totaling about $26 billion nationwide.
  • While most people send out nice messages for the holiday, Victorian-era folks sometimes used valentines to turn down a suitor, called a vinegar valentine.
  • More than 250 million roses are produced for Valentine's Day, according to the Society of American Florists—with red roses making up nearly two-thirds of that number.
  • The heart shape as a symbol of love first started showing up in art of the Middle Ages.
  • If you don't make a big deal about Valentine's Day, you're not alone. A YouGov survey found that only 30% of Americans thought it was a real special occasion—with most people preferring holidays like New Year's Eve, Halloween, Labor Day, and Memorial Day to the day of love.

What Are Some Fun Things to Do for Valentine's Day?

You can celebrate the day of love however you want—even if it's just through self-love. Here are some ideas that could inspire you.

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