Meditation on Valentine's Day
As I have been putting together my set list for HCB today, my special Valentine's Day edition, I can't help but think about this aweful day. I really hate Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day origin are lost to history. Odds are St. Valentine was two or three people in reality. One Valentine was probably a priest in early Roman. He would marry young couples, even thought the emporer had outlawed marriage for anyone under a specific age(The Emporer thought his army would be better fighters if the young men where not married). Another Valentine was probably an imprisoned christian in Roman. The story goes he fell in love with the daughter of the jailor. His last act was to send her a letter expressing his love, signed "From Your Valentine."
Why do we celebrate this holiday in February? This answer is also lost to us. Some guess that it is the date of Birth or Death of St. Valentine(s). Another theory is that it is a way to Christianize pagan fertilite rituals. February was seen as the beginning of Spring. That must have been nice.
Valentine notes/card showed up as early as 15th century. The populatity of the Holiday increased and by the 18th century is was common in Britian and France to exchange tokens of love and notes on this day. As better printing technology became available, printed cards replace hand written notes.
But it wasn't till the late 20th century that Valentine's Day in the United States, become the day we now celebrate. With a large marketing push from the Greeting Card, Candy and Floral industries. They were later joined by the diamond merchants. To make this day that we are to express our love to your loved ones. Shouldn't we do that every day?
While I know it is a Bull Shit,Hallmark holiday,it just amplifies the feelings of loneliness.So after my show tonight I am get a pint of whiskey and playing my guitar till I fall asleep.
Valentine's Day origin are lost to history. Odds are St. Valentine was two or three people in reality. One Valentine was probably a priest in early Roman. He would marry young couples, even thought the emporer had outlawed marriage for anyone under a specific age(The Emporer thought his army would be better fighters if the young men where not married). Another Valentine was probably an imprisoned christian in Roman. The story goes he fell in love with the daughter of the jailor. His last act was to send her a letter expressing his love, signed "From Your Valentine."
Why do we celebrate this holiday in February? This answer is also lost to us. Some guess that it is the date of Birth or Death of St. Valentine(s). Another theory is that it is a way to Christianize pagan fertilite rituals. February was seen as the beginning of Spring. That must have been nice.
Valentine notes/card showed up as early as 15th century. The populatity of the Holiday increased and by the 18th century is was common in Britian and France to exchange tokens of love and notes on this day. As better printing technology became available, printed cards replace hand written notes.
But it wasn't till the late 20th century that Valentine's Day in the United States, become the day we now celebrate. With a large marketing push from the Greeting Card, Candy and Floral industries. They were later joined by the diamond merchants. To make this day that we are to express our love to your loved ones. Shouldn't we do that every day?
While I know it is a Bull Shit,Hallmark holiday,it just amplifies the feelings of loneliness.So after my show tonight I am get a pint of whiskey and playing my guitar till I fall asleep.
posted by IPW at 11:45 AM
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