when and why do we celebrate valentines-day?
137967
because its a day 2 show ur loved one how much you love them
117123
Valentine's Day occurs annually on Februay 14. Modern day customs include sending greeting cards known as valentines to loved ones. School rooms are often decorated with lace and paper hearts. Gifts of candy and flowers are also common at this time.\n\nThe origins of Valentine's Day are uncertain. Many experts believe that it originated with Lupercalia, a Roman celebration honoring the wolves Romulus and Remus. During this festival, young men struck women with a goatskin hide called a februa. Receiving the blows was thought to make women more fertile and to ease childbirth. At Lupercalia, the names of all the young women in the city were placed in a box. Young men drew a name from the box and the couple would be paired until the next Lupercalia. Lupercalia was replaced with Valentine's Day by Christians.\n\nOthers trace Valentine's Day back to the rule of the Roman emperor Claudius II. In the 200's C. E., Claudius become frustrated when he had trouble recruiting soldiers into his army. Believing that the young men did not want to leave their wives and children, Claudius banned all marriages of single young men. However, a priest named Valentine disobeyed Claudius and performed secret marriages. Claudius found out about the marriages and sentenced Valentine to prison until his death on February 14, 270 C. E.\n\nMany historians believe the custom of sending poetic verse on this day originated with the capture of Charles, Duke of Orleans, during the Battle of Agincourt. From his prison cell in the Tower of London, Charles sent his wife a rhyming love letter.\n\nValentine cards became popular in Great Britain in the nineteenth century. Noted artist Kate Greenaway created cards which featured joyful children and beautiful gardens. Esther Howland was one of the first Valentine card manufacturers in the United States. Inspired by a British card, she began production in 1847. Her cards featured lace and paper flowers and leaves. Other card manufacturers emphasized Cupid, the pudgy, winged son of Venus, the goddess of love. In Roman lore, Cupid is known as Eros, the son of Aphrodite.
93244
Cause it had became a marketing tool of the retail business.  Valentines day won't suck if you could express your love to those you should love.  Not limited to lovers!  Could be your parents, friends, and the poor.  Expensive presents is just a show off of wealth rather than show off of love :)
55237
Nothing special as my hubby and I don't believe we need a special day to show our love to one another. Or a commericial reason to buy something. It is actually our rule to not buy flowers during the months of Feb and May as they jump the price so much as to make it ridiculous..Why does everyone have to have a special day to say I Love You! Should not this be done daily in a relationship? This is a day to make those with no partner feel alone and I think it is so sad to see so many feel like that because so many fall for commericial bulllll.
68583
If it were sexist it would be favoring one sex or another wouldn't it? I think when it comes to showing love, Valentine's Day was created for everyone to show love. It is not anymore geared to one sex than another. Now if you asked if the focus of the marketing of Valentine's Day sexist.......perhaps. Have you noticed the increase in jewelry commercials......flowers......intimate delicates?   Shouldn't we also buy tools, new tires, fishing tackle and cigars?   From what I understand V-day was created by the card companies using St. Valentine as the patron saint of the day. *shrugs*   My kids love it........as for me? I just like the little candy hearts that say "Be mine" on them.
138221
We buy valentines day cards and flowers for our valentines (the commercial aspect) and we take them out or stay home for a romantic dinner (the romantic aspect).\n\nPS Did I forget to mention CHOCOLATE!!! :)
4884
I would say Valentine day, it is just a happy day filled with love and romance. Even if your single and until I got married I was single every v-day it is still a day when you can reflect on the beauty of love and celebrate the love you have for yourself.
522096
Pet Adoration Day\n\nWe already celebrate numerous people but there are no days to celebrate the unconditional love that our pets give to us.
83028
the roman catholics started it! it is SAINT valentine's day. believe it or not, back in mideval times, almost every day celebrated the life of some saint. now, pretty much only saint patrick's day and saint valentine's day live on, since hallmark has found ways to make money off of them. \nanyways, st. valentine's day is just a day to celebrate the life of st. valentine, the patron saint of love.
156392
I just had to answer this one as it would be very rude of me if I don't answer a Birthday greeting.\nFirst of all, thanks for the greetings, you are a special friend too, Anjie.\n\nNow, to answer your question, I am basically doing nothin' special on Valentine's Day as I don't have a valentine, I am only 18 and have my studies to concentrate on. I am not even havng a B'Day party :(. Maybe 2 or 3 years later I will consider celebrating Valentine's Day.\nI think it is a great day to express your feelings to that special one in your life. The one who always makes you smile, the one who you know cares for you more than his/her own self and the one you just cannot live without.\n:)\nThank You Saint Valentine!
170553
Valentine's Day is a celebration of love associated with St. valentine.  It a holiday now trivialized by cards, chocolates, and gifts.  The original message is still carried over as union of two people.  As for your personal views, the commecilization of the holiday puts soo much emphasis on being with someone.  No you shouldn't change your attitude to mix in with the common view some people share.
106417
Valentine's Day is a day where people have set aside to show\nhow much they love their mate or significant other. The \nphrase "Will you be my valentine" is just a statement they\nsay on Valentine's Day. Everyday we are to show love. Not\njust on this day. Love is an everyday action. You can buy a\ngift for someone just because.
172984
Everyday is a good day to show Love, so a simple gesture like a heart shaped candy/chocolate, and a note/card...maybe dinner...in or out it depends on what would be more appreciated by your partner.  Happy Valentines Day Everyone!
44803
Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire.  In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno.  Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses.  The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage.  The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.\n\nThe lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate.  However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing.  On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars.  Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose.  Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.\n\nUnder the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns.  Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues.  He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families.  As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome.  The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II.  He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off.  He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270.  At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honour of a heathen god.  On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.\n\nThe pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavoured to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens.  And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feaSt. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.
136634
I think that there should be a day of the year made for men.  I mean it's rather unfair for us to have to deal with Valentine's without any day set aside for us.  I say we get "Steak & BJ day" put onto every calendar in the U.S.  Trust me, the men would finally be grateful, and we may even be a little more enthusiastic when Valentine's rolls around.
142791
YES! VALENTINE'S DAY IS NOT ONLY FOR LOVERS BUT EVEN FOR UR FRIENDS U CAN BE MY FRIEND.
943682
Autumn with Sweetie! We do celebrate it just because, because  of the wonderful things She does. I like any excuse for a holiday too. We enjoy the set ones like Thanksgiving ( Canadian in Oct. and American in Nov. ) and Christmas, then make more up if they don't come quickly enough for our liking. An example would be celebrating Wednesday, a very important day to us just because; LOL; because of the wonderful things She does!