Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, [1] is celebrated annually on February 14. [2] It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine , and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in Valentine’s Day, holiday (February 14) when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. Given their similarities, it has been suggested that the holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated every February 14; this year Valentine's Day falls on a Friday. Across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts Howland’s contribution to the commercialization of Valentine’s Day helped establish the holiday as a significant occasion for gift-giving and expressing love. The Commercialization of Valentine’s Day. The modern celebration of Valentine’s Day as we know it today began to take shape in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 496 A.D February 14, was declared in the name of St. Valentine but it wasn't until 1537 that St. Valentine's Day was declared an official holiday. England's King Henry VIII declared 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. So let's take a look at the murky beginnings of Valentine's Day and how we got to the romantic holiday filled with flowers and candy we think of today. When is Valentine's Day 2025? Valentine's Valentine’s Day is a massive holiday celebrated on February 14 in the US as well as other places in the world. People commemorate the day by exchanging flowers, greeting cards, chocolates and other gifts with their loved ones. Supposedly, all of those are done in the name of Saint Valentine. These fascinating facts about Valentine's Day will put the holiday in a whole new light. 1. St. Valentine wasn't just one person. In the 1300s, it officially became a holiday associated with love. Valentine's Day is celebrated around the world on Feb. 14. Here's what to know about how the holiday got its start. King Henry VIII officially declared February 14 as the St. Valentine's Day holiday in 1537, marking the first Valentine's Day. Chocolates became an important gift for Valentine's Day due to Richard Cadbury's affordable and accessible chocolate box, adorned with cupids and roses, in 1861. Valentine's Day as a Commercial Holiday . Valentine's Day is no longer part of the official liturgical calendar of any Christian church; it was dropped from the Catholic calendar in 1969. Its not a feast, a celebration, or a memorial of any martyrs. Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day in 496 AD, and the rest is this history. Officially banned and actively discouraged. Serbia: Approximately 30 countries celebrate Valentine's Day, or some form of the holiday, around the world. However This day around the world There is not a single country in the world that recognizes Valentine’s Day as a national holiday. However, it is an official day for feasting in both the Anglican Communion and Lutheran Church. 3. In the 1300s, it officially became a holiday associated with love. The origins of Valentine’s Day are murky. But it is thought to have been made a holiday in the fifth century when Pope An infamous king made Valentine's Day an official holiday. In 1537, England's King Henry VIII officially declared February 14 the holiday of St. Valentine's Day by royal charter. And yes, he is The holiday isn't an anti-Valentine's Day event, but rather a moment to celebrate self-love and platonic relationships. International Quirkyalone Day has been celebrated globally since 2003. 29. Is Valentine's Day an official holiday? Valentine's Day was never named an official national holiday in the United States, but it continues to be a popular holiday in the country. Henry VIII is the monarch who officially made Valentine's Day a holiday in 1537. This declaration was made through a formal proclamation where he established February 14 as St. Valentine's Day. The day is associated with St. Valentine, a Christian martyr, whose feast day is celebrated on this date.
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