Love it or hate it, Valentine's Day comes around every year. While some may claim today is a “classic holiday,” others are counting down the hours until a night on the town with that special someone.
So whether your plans include celebrating the day or ignoring it completely, it's better to know a few things about why the day exists in the first place.
Why is there a day of love?
Far from being a provocative card with a questionable slogan, Valentine's Day actually began as a Christian holiday, like many other modern festivals.
The day itself is associated with Christian martyrs, the most famous of whom is the 3rd century priest St. Valentine. However, like most traditional celebrations, there are many variations to the same story.
Some say that Valentine was imprisoned in Rome for agreeing to marry a soldier and his beloved, even though it was forbidden. At the time, the emperor believed that men without romantic relationships or families made better soldiers for the army.
Others say that Valentine became very unpopular with the authorities because he held masses for Christians who were persecuted by the Romans.
Another theory is that he was sentenced to death for trying to help Christians who had been imprisoned by the emperor escape.
Why send a card?
Despite being a priest, Valentine himself seems to have fallen in love with a young woman, believed to be the prison guard's daughter. The letter he wrote to her before her death is considered her first Valentine's card.
By signing it “From your Valentine,” he made famous a common way to end Valentine's messages, especially those from secret admirers.
His remains were initially kept in the church and catacombs of San Valentino in Rome, but later some of his relics were dispersed, including in the Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin. .
The above is probably the most popular reenactment of this story, but others link this day to the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which includes fertility rites and matchmaking.
Is everyone marked?
Valentine's Day is celebrated in many countries, but in some regions it's celebrated more grandly than others.
The day is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States, with American consumers spending an estimated $19.6 billion last year to celebrate the day.
Even more unusual: in Wales, couples exchange handmade wooden spoons as a sign of devotion, and in Japan, female workers buy chocolates for their male colleagues.
Just friends
Galentine's Day and Palentine's Day are more modern creations and are all about celebrating relationships with friends on February 13th.
Made famous by the American comedy series parks and recreationthe concept of Galentine's Day has really become popular in recent years.
Just as Valentine's Day is essentially an excuse to do something nice with your sweetheart, Galentine's Day is the perfect opportunity to get the girls together for a fun night out or indoors.
What should we do on Valentine's Day this year?
Every year, couples gather at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin to have their wedding rings blessed where the saint's relics are kept.
If you haven't walked down the aisle yet, the shrine dedicated to the saint draws visitors every day of the year. This is another way to commemorate the occasion. There are also books where you can write your prayers and wishes.
Otherwise, just about every restaurant across the country is running some kind of Valentine's special. So why not make the most of your excuse to grab a better man and go out for a fancy dinner?
If you're still looking for your own Valentine, why not try speed dating to make the most of your first few hours after work that day?
