Chaucer is thought to have made the first link with 14th February and romantic love towards the end of the fourteenth century, as Richard II became engaged to Anne of Bohemia. St Valentine’s Day is mentioned by Ophelia in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and people started passing love notes to each other in the middle of the eighteenth century.
Hallmark produced its first Valentine’s cards 100 years ago in 1913, and for many that’s when Valentine’s Day began in earnest as a modern celebration. For generations it’s been the time when we let our partners know how much we love them, with flowers, cards, chocolates or a candlelit dinner à deux.
But, when you pause to think about it, the occasion can seem rather random and arbitrary.
One of the weirder things about the origins of Valentine’s Day is that it’s also the time of year when birds find their mates after the winter and before spring arrives. That can make the whole occasion seem even more detached - we’re humans, not birds!
Valentine’s Day is just one day of 365 in the year, and so it’s not really enough on its own to show your partner or close family members exactly what they mean to you. In any relationship, it’s vital that you show your appreciation more than annually until February 14 rolls around again.
So, while no-one is saying you necessarily ought to avoid Valentine’s Day completely, don’t forget about using other points throughout the year to treat your family or other half. Springtime, for example, is a great time for excellent deals on city breaks to a wide range of destinations. Recharge the batteries and relax as you discover somewhere new together.
Or why not take your partner to the theater in March for a special treat, just because you want to, just because you love them, and make a weekend of it? You may feel as though your other half is so much at your core they’re as integral to you as your limbs or vital organs. Make them feel as vital to you as the lungs you breathe with by treating them every day of the New Year.