Valentines Day has evolved into a global holiday as various twists and turns in every world culture has molded it to fit their seasons and reasons for celebration. Here is a look see at various world-wide Valentines Day symbols that branch out across the centuries into the present.
There are various historical points of origin for the modern day St. Valentines Day Holiday and Celebration. Some folks believe it began in ancient times as a Pagan ritual found in Roman culture named Lupercalia – “the Feast of Fertility”. Then again some historians say it started in the dark ages of med-evil Europe as a celebration honoring a Saint Valentine an actual person of the Church. History tells us that Pope Gelasius I issued a Papal Decree abolishing the Lupercalia Festival in 496 A.D. and something seemed to evolve over the centuries that we experience today as Valentines Day. A celebration of “love, honor, loyalty and friendship” has become a commercialized holiday money making industry that thrives on “LOVE”! Take a look at the Global Symbols that represent Valentines Day and are marketed world-wide.
1. A heart shaped box of chocolates, introduced by the Cadbury Candy Company in 1868.
2. Valentines Cards, commercially first issued it is said by Hallmark in 1913. Handmade cards had been sent by many folks over the years, prior to machine printed messages of love.
3. Cupid, the mythological errant and mischievous cherub child of the Roman Goddess Venus, became an image used to depict love arrows shot out to infect prospectus lovers and mates. Thus driving lovers together and making love matches from the Gods.
4. Doves are depicted as Valentines Day symbols of perfect forever love, as they are creatures who are believed to choose their mate for a life-time.
5. Flowers such as the rose have come to symbolize True Love, and are sold in the millions on the week of Valentines as a token gift of love and friendship (red = love and yellow = friendship).
6. Love Knot Rings and Talismans have come to symbolize the twisted course human lives take and how there is no beginning nor end to ‘true love’. This is seen in Celtic symbols a great deal.
7. Then of course there are the famous and infamous ”Love Poems” that have been generated over the centuries and bestowed unto secret loves…and not so secret loves. These poems spring forth in abundance around Valentines Day.
8. Definately Hearts and Arrows, are the very basic symbol globally of love seen across the world on Valentines, whether they come from ‘the Cupid” or another who wishes to be known as your ‘Cupid’.
9. In Africa ‘Love Birds’ have come symbolize in many nations Valentines Day love and friendship.
10. And let us not forget the crossed wooden spoons of Scandanavian tradition that symbolize love on “Valentinsdag” and other days as well.
