Happy Valentine’s Day to all – both believers and critics (I hear both sides)! Have you ever taken the time to learn the history behind Valentine’s Day? For you VDay critics out there, it didn’t start out as a romantic holiday, or one that was so commercialized. There are many stories that have been merged together for Saint Valentine’s background. He was a priest, but many people say he was also a physician. He cared for a jailor’s blind daughter, but since Christianity was at the time illegal, Saint Valentine was imprisoned. Before being put to death, Saint Valentine sent a token of his affection to the jailor’s daughter: a letter with a yellow crocus inside, signed “From your Valentine.” When the jailor gave it to his daughter, the crocus fell out and her sight was magically cured. (As you have probably guessed, this is where Valentines come from.) As far as the years to come to make Valentine’s Day what it is in this century, here’s some bullet point history:
- In the 14th century, Geoffery Chaucer connected Valentine’s Day with the birds’ mating season and having babies. This was the first instance of romantic connotations.
- In 1850, the holiday switched from religious to commercial when Valentine cards were mass produced. The cars were insult cards meant as a joke.
- Around this time, chocolate was given as a remedy for broken hearts. However, since chocolate is also known as an aphrodisiac, it became associated with Valentine’s Day.
- In the coming years, heart-shaped chocolate boxed, mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards, candy hearts and chocolate kisses were created.
- In 1969, the Roman Catholic Church took the holiday off the religious calendar, and it officially became a commercial holiday. During the ‘80s, the jewelry industry joined in on the promotion of the holiday.
So whether you get hyped up on the idea of Valentines, chocolate & jewelry (oh my!), or you prefer to stay away from the commercialized holiday, there’s still a need for Connecticut insurance. Valentine’s Day supporters – you may need to insure that new piece of bling you received from your Valentine with Connecticut Jewelry Insurance! For the rest of us, we always have the need for Connecticut Home Insurance and Connecticut Car Insurance. And hey, we can save even more money by bundling policies! Talk to your local CT insurance agent at Encharter Insurance about your policy needs!
Photo: Wikimedia.org
