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For many, the 14th of February represents a day of celebrating love and giving to those that you love. However, have you ever wondered why we celebrate this date? Ironically, the origin of the holiday, Valentine’s Day is not a sweet romantic tale.
Although many a story has been brought about of how Valentine’s Day really began, it is believed that the day of love was named after the catholic priest, Saint Valentine, who lived in Rome in the 3rd Century. At the time, many Romans were converting to Christianity but the Emperor, Claudius II was a pagan and believed that the Roman soldiers should be devoted solely to Rome.
Consequently, he brought about a law preventing anyone from marrying. Saint Valentine did not believe this to be right and began to hold secret Christian marriage ceremonies to marry the soldiers, as he strongly believed in the importance of love.
Time passed and eventually, Valentine was caught out for his crimes against the Emperor. Whilst in prison, he began to care for his fellow inmates and one in particular, his jailor’s daughter, whom he fell in love with. This is where he wrote her his first ever love letter, on the 14th of February right before he was executed, and signed it with “from your Valentine.”
It wasn’t until years later, after Valentine’s death that the 14th of February was proclaimed, St Valentine’s Day and was the beginning of courtly love, a ritual of expressing love and admiration, usually in secret.
Some also say, the holiday took place in the famous Roman festival, Lupercalia, which was held in mid-February and celebrated the beginning of spring, fertility rites, and the pairing of women and men.
Years passed and it wasn’t until the late 1500s that printed cards and valentines’ gifts appeared, where Cupid, the Roman god of love, was used to depict the celebration of love and is still used as a symbol of this holiday to date.
That wasn’t exactly the story you were expecting, right?
If you are stuck for ideas on what to get a loved one, friend, or family member we have put some ideas together for you.
There are so many beautiful spots in and around cape town with the most beautiful settings. Why not spoil your lover, friend, or family member with a romantic picnic at a wine farm. Some stunning locations that are offering picnics are Warrick Wine Farm, Overgaauw wine farm, and Diemersdal Wine Estate.
We all know how much girls love jewellery, whether it’s over the top, big diamonds or minimalistic, girls love anything that will make their beauty shine. We are offering an amazing hamper to accompany your purchase. If you purchase any items of jewellery you will automatically receive 10% off and get a box of chocolates and flowers free.
Now, this sounds like a wonderful gift! After all, there is nothing that says ‘I love you’ as magically as a beautiful piece of jewellery!
We all need to wind down and enjoy an extra bit of TLC. Now is the perfect time for a spa treatment, so why not bring the spa to you. A spa day with a massage kit and a bottle of wine sounds ideal. This is a great unisex gift idea for Valentine’s day. Netflorist has amazing kits on offer.
Don’t forget, Valentine’s Day is about showing love. This doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy the best thing on the shelf. Your loved ones might just appreciate spending some special quality time together. Either way, your lover or family will appreciate it more than you know.
Wishing you a month full of love! X
