Valentine’s Day, love it or hate it, hasn’t always been a Hallmark holiday filled with cupids and candy.
According to ancient lore, it evolved from pagan fertility rites replete with animal sacrifices and later a feast to honor an executed Christian priest who dared to marry Roman soldiers.
It wasn’t until the late 1300s that the day’s romantic spark was ignited thanks to poet and writer Geoffrey Chaucer. His poem “The Parliament of Fowls” is one of the earliest known odes about the day and inspired the term “love birds.”
Our present-day Valentine celebrations grew out of the Victorian era when couples began to exchange flowers, elaborate cards with romantic verses, and chocolate, then a rarity and considered an aphrodisiac.
And the times they are still “a-changing.”
In addition to celebrating romantic coupledom, Valentine’s Day has become an opportunity to honor important and meaningful relationships of all kinds.
First to break the traditional mold was Galentine’s Day, made popular by Amy Poehler’s character in the television show, “Parks and Recreation.” A celebration of close female friendship typically marked on Feb. 13, it’s also celebrated on the 14th.
Then came Malentine’s Day, the equal-opportunity male version of Galentine’s Day. This “bromantic” holiday recognizing important male friendships is celebrated on Feb. 12.
Some also mark Palentine’s Day, a mashup of “pal” and “valentine,” which has emerged as a gender-neutral version of the holiday.
For many, these unofficial Valentine’s Day spin-offs usher in a spirit of inclusivity, particularly for single people or those not interested in a romantic relationship.
And they can lessen the sting of a holiday that may evoke loneliness and societal or personal pressure to be romantically involved.
