"If you can take any day out and take care of yourself, that's great. But if you had to choose a day, I would say Valentine's Day," she said. "I think this year it's more about being surrounded by your loved ones and friends because, thank God, they all made it," she said. The most popular gifts are likely to be candy, flowers and greeting cards, followed by an evening out and jewelry.Whether you adore or despise the occasion, you might find its deep and ancient-rooted history surprising. Interactive Time Zone Map for current time zones worldwide. A time zone refers to any region where the same standard time is kept.Lenski said Saint Valentine is more legendary than a real person– actually, two people. "It says more about the times than it does about Saint Valentine." "Valentine's Day is characteristic of the place and time," Lenski said. Saint Valentine's feast could have been a replacement for Lupercalia, but Lenski said there's no hard proof of this. Meanwhile, Christians began to hold a feast on Feb. 14 to celebrate Saint Valentine and the sanctity of marriage.As it turns out, the histories of both holidays share a few surprising similarities. Much like Christmas, the religious roots of Valentine's Day are often overshadowed by the more commercial aspects of the holiday. The relics have been displayed publicly since 1984, in a foundation open to the public at all times in order to help people in need. Although these legends differ, Valentine's Day is widely recognised as a day for romance and devotion.The handwritten cards, chocolate hearts, and red roses are all staples of the annual tradition, recognized easily at any convenience store. See our list of flower symbolism and find a meaning that suits your loved one. Red roses seem to be the popular flower for loved ones as they symbolize love. personalized gifts went far beyond sending cards and chocolates to demonstrate their love. Many schoolchildren exchange valentines with one another on this day. Formal messages, or valentines, appeared in the 1500s, and by the late 1700s commercially printed cards were being used.Cupid shows us that erotic love has been with the human species since the beginning, said Lenski. Cupid is not just a Valentine's Day gimmick or cartoon character but also has its history in ancient Rome. "We want to think of our love as uncompromising, too." He said the person we love is "someone we'd be prepared to give our all for." He said he did not know of the secret marriage ceremonies, but Valentine's martyrdom for his religion is what strongly resonated with people.How Valentine’s Day became a thing, and that too in February – a month arbitrarily linked with courtship and romance, is a completely different story. Another version narrates that he was thrown into prison, where he lived out his last days and was visited by grateful couples who would bring him flowers. This created an unsurpassable legal barrier for young lovers who wished nothing but to be together.Archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to St. Valentine. Emperor Claudius II executed two priests—both named Valentine—on February 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D. Young men also drew the names of women from a jar. Apparently, many women were willing participants, lining up for the festival, believing this would make them fertile.In the Eastern Orthodox church there is another saint who protects people who are in love, Hyacinth of Caesarea (feast day July 3); but this was not widely known until the late 1990s. While February 14 is widely celebrated with sweet Valentine's Day treats, heartfelt Valentine's Day gifts, and romantic dinners, few people are familiar with the holiday's true origins. Everyone loves a good love story, but the history of Valentine's Day is a bit different from the romanticized version of the holiday recognized today. However, much about how the holiday came to be remains a mystery, details lost to time and transformed as romantics retold history. In 18th-century England, it grew into an occasion for couples to express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). If you're thinking that none of this sounds very lovey-dovey, that's because Valentine's Day did not begin to resemble the romantic holiday we know it as today until the Middle Ages—and we might have the poet Geoffrey Chaucer to thank.No matter your way in, you may be curious to know that the origin and real history of Valentine’s Day is a bit more complicated than Cupid’s arrows and candy hearts—and it wasn’t exactly always the romantic holiday we now know it to be. Valentine's Day's transformation into a holiday about romantic love can be attributed to the Romantic English poet Geoffrey Chaucer. It is a commemorative Christian feast for some but a secular occasion for others who see it as a day to celebrate affection in all of its forms but primarily romantic love. The holiday grew more secular as people of that time seemed to consider the day about love, poetry and gifts. Valentine’s Day on February 14 is a global holiday that traditionally celebrates romantic love. Learn how bridal shower gift and chocolates helped commercialize this day of love.From Shakespeare to Aristotle to Dr. Seuss, see how writers through history have expressed the power of love. Read about the love and strength that fueled the enduring romances of Bess and Harry Truman, Elizabeth and Robert Browning and Jackie and Rachel Robinson. Why do we celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14th and where do the holiday customs come from? From poets and presidents to kings and courtesans, find out more about 10 of history's most famous tales of love and loss. Valentine’s Day is filled not only with cards, roses and chocolates but plenty of history as well.