Valentine’s Day: A Journey Through History and Modern Costs
Flowers, chocolates, and heartfelt cards. These are the gifts traditionally exchanged between loved ones and friends every February 14th – Valentine’s Day. Also known as the Day of Love and Friendship, this celebration has roots in ancient Rome and is intertwined with Christian traditions. Some historians even link it to the festival of Lupercalia.
From Ancient Rituals to Romantic Gestures
Over time, the celebration has evolved, acquiring a more symbolic character. Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated across North America, Latin America, and Europe, though its name, customs, and even the date vary by country. The holiday has also become increasingly commercialized. Rising inflation means celebrating your loved one is becoming more expensive each year. Recent data confirms this: a study shows that from 2016 to 2026, the total cost of a popular gift package has increased by $262.36 USD.
The Origins of Valentine’s Day
While pinpointing the exact origin of Valentine’s Day is difficult, several historians point to ancient Rome, as reported by National Geographic. One theory connects it to the Lupercalia festival – a celebration held on February 15th aimed at purifying the city and promoting good health and fertility. During this festival, a goat was sacrificed by a priest, and children would run through the streets, lightly whipping women with the animal’s skin to encourage fertility.
Another speculation suggests Valentine’s Day originated from the Roman festival Juno Februata, which coincided with Lupercalia. This involved young men drawing the names of women from a box, pairing them up – often temporarily, though some unions led to marriage.
The Rise of Romantic Traditions
In the 19th century, the tradition of exchanging love letters on Valentine’s Day gained popularity in Anglo-Saxon countries. Over time, this custom expanded to include other tokens of affection, such as flowers, especially roses, and sweets.
The Commercialization of Love
In the 20th century, the commercial and advertising sectors recognized Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to boost consumption and increase sales. From then on, February 14th began to be heavily promoted through the marketing of roses, chocolates, and various gifts for couples. This evolution led to the Valentine’s Day we know and celebrate today.
The Cost of Love in 2024
The most popular Valentine’s Day gifts in 2024 include love notes, chocolate boxes, diamond earrings, a dozen roses, and a dinner for two. A complete individual package of these gifts now costs $774.39 USD, $262.36 USD more than the most popular gifts of 2016, according to Investor’s Observer.
In 2016, the gift list was similar, except for a bottle of champagne. The complete package – chocolates, diamond earrings, a dozen roses, dinner for two, and champagne – cost $512.03 USD. While champagne (costing $51 USD) has been replaced by a gift card (currently priced at $7.19 USD), the inflation of costs in other items has driven up the overall expense.
Chocolate boxes have seen the largest price increase, more than tripling from $15.11 to $50.70 USD. Dinner for two has more than doubled, rising from $80.46 to $209 USD.
The Legend of Saint Valentine
During the expansion of Christianity in Rome in the 3rd century, Emperor Claudius II prohibited marriage between young people to facilitate their recruitment into the army. Legend has it that a priest named Valentine opposed this law, secretly performing marriages and helping prisoners, while also promoting the Christian faith.
After being discovered, Valentine was imprisoned. Tradition says he performed a miracle while in captivity, restoring the sight of Julia, the blind daughter of a guard, leading her family to convert to Christianity. Despite this, Valentine was condemned and executed on February 14th, 269 AD.
Before his death, he sent a farewell note to Julia, with whom he had fallen in love, signed “From your Valentine,” giving rise to the famous phrase. She planted an almond tree by his grave, later associated with the symbolism of love.
Valentine’s Day Around the World
Centuries later, in 494 AD, Pope Gelasius I officially declared February 14th as Valentine’s Day. Many countries in America and Europe, including the United States, Mexico, Spain, France, Austria, Belgium, Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay, celebrate Valentine’s Day.
However, not all nations celebrate this holiday on the same day, and in some places, the meaning changes. For example, in Finland and Estonia, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of friendship, known as ‘Sobrapäev’ and ‘Ystävän Paiva’. In Brazil, Saint Anthony, the patron saint of marriage and matchmaking, is celebrated on June 12th. Conversely, countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia prohibit the celebration of Valentine’s Day for religious reasons.