As my spouse asks, “What are you getting me for Valentine’s day?” I wonder how this started; not only the holiday (uh holiday?) but also the entitlement, conferred upon the self-proclaimed beneficiaries of this day. Does it matter though if we can simply make it up as we go along? Just shop Americas that is all i want to Say but read on for fun anyway…
I remember as a kid (and for some reason my memory relates Valentines day with school) this was a day that one asked someone else to be their Valentine. All that time ago, it seemed a benign request, to ask someone to be one’s Valentine; it was a designation pronounced by card for only that one day. Albeit a loving act, it was always conveyed sheepishly, either by mail or by surreptitious placement under the beneficiary’s desk. Our miserable egos, victims of some ancient, yet anonymous legend or myth, would silently pray for reciprocity; for one measly card from anyone, in return.
Valentine was a third-century priest who served under the rule of Roman Emperor Claudius II, who prohibited young men from getting married. The emperor believed that would make them better soldiers, but Valentine continued to secretly marry young couples. He was discovered and sentenced to death. Legend has it that while in prison, Valentine fell in love with a young girl, presumably the jailor’s daughter. A day before the persecution, Valentine wrote her a letter and signed it, “From your Valentine.” (mm okay…… 6 out of 10 points for this story)
Romancing with goat blood:- Valentine’s Day can also be connected to the pagan festival of Lupercalia celebrated in ancient Rome on Feb. 15. Young women would place their names in a hollow. Single men would pick a name of the woman he would romance for a year. Boys would sacrifice a goat and use its skin and blood to go around the streets and touch women. It was believed that the goat’s skin would make them more fertile. (not so okay, for some reason this one bothers me…. I mean the date for one year and fertility notion.)
Twelfth century poetry:- In 1382, English writer Geoffrey Chaucer wrote the poem, “Parlement of Foules,” which includes the following line: “For this was on seynt Volantynys day?/Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make. (wow for the power of Geoff – imagine if it had been that sanguine Monk up to his monkey business!)
None of these explanations satisfy me, and one can see that the eras contributed to new meaning; so I we can make up our own legend too. What would be wrong with one made for this century?
Once upon a time, in February of 2009, in a faraway land, called America. It was located on planet earth, during the time of that planets most extreme ailing, the one that lead us to now. They had elected a dashing young new leader to take them through the troubled times with an impending financial catastrophe, caused by the devilish regime that had previously ruled. Cut a long story short, they desperately needed a stimulus package – something to reinvigorate their economy so people could survive the worst housing crisis ever, war, famine, and would you believe mortgage meltdown. The Republican Party would not budge, they refused to provide their votes to help the President enact his plan. The President eventually agreed to cut education funding and they reached a compromise.
On the morning of February 14th the President acknowledged a stupendous miracle when he signed this Bill enacted by Congress and Senate:-“American families here is $600 each – go out and spend it. “Buy American, create a new industry, one where we all flatter each other. Think HALLMARK card; buy one for your Aunt, one for your Uncle, also your sister, your dog, your child, oh yes and your beloved too and because Xmas is in December and Thanksgiving in November, we will call it a Valentines Card, as a symbol for our love of bi-partisanship” Oh yes the name Valentine is based on a Saint who happened to die on the 14th of February 269 AD; we can only presume it was St, Valentine who presided over this wonderful miracle.”
O-blog-dee-o-blog-da 