An amalgamation of ancient fertility festivals and Christian religion, the history of Valentine’s Day gifts comes from rituals in Rome and early Christianity. In ancient Rome, February was the month of “spring cleaning” and paying homage to Faunus, the god of agriculture, with the Feast of Lupercalis. Also during this festival, Romans sacrificed animals and used the blood to sprinkle on women and crops to ensure fertility for the next year. Tied to this ritual was the mating lottery, wherein all the women’s names would be placed into an urn, to be chosen at random by the single men. The pairs would often marry after courting, with the blessing of Faunus. Thus, part of the Valentine’s Day story comes from the practices of gift-giving and feasting during Rome’s fertility festivals.

The other half of the Valentine’s Day story stems from the legends surrounding three Catholic martyrs named Valentine. One such legend contends that Valentine himself wrote a letter from jail to a young girl and signed it “From Your Valentine”, giving us the common phrase today. Nevertheless, the stories surrounding Valentine and his death, either because he defied a decree against marriage for young men or because he helped Christians escape Roman torture, made him into a heroic and romantic figure, revered by many. With the spread of Christianity, traditions likely mixed, giving us our modern Valentine’s Day as a celebration of Valentine’s love in the month of February.

History of Valentine’s Day Gifts: From hand-written notes to cards

The history of Valentine’s Day gifts began simply with hand-written, often anonymous notes. With a change in economy came the exchange of small tokens of affection between friends and lovers, along with the hand-made card. With a change in technology came the possibility of printed cards, and the first mass-produced cards in America were made in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland.

Today Valentine’s Day is the second most popular occasion to send a greeting card, just behind Christmas. Traditions include couples celebrating on February 14^th by an intimate evening alone with dinner at a nice restaurant or at home. Often some other special activity is involved, such as watching a movie or listening to a concert. Flowers and chocolates have withstood the history of Valentine’s Day gifts, though these gifts are not very personable unless you are giving a woman her favorite flower or candy. Giving a gift on Valentine’s Day depends on the giver’s and receiver’s expectations and traditions. Sometimes the seriousness of a relationship dictates the gift and its value; other times only a card is necessary. Know your audience before you buy a gift.