Each year, Australia celebrates the worldwide festive day known as Valentines Day, on February the 14th. This day focuses on romantic acts shared between partners, family and friends, and fondly known as the ‘Day of Love.’
Valentine’s Day 2019 & 2020 Dates
History
There’s quite a bit of mystery surrounding the true origins on Valentines Day in regards to the patron Saint that this day was original dedicated to. Saint Valentine may have not been one sole figure in history, as there have been mentions of many different ‘Valentine’ Saints in religious texts.
The Catholic Church has martyred three different saints named either Valentinus or some known as Valentine. One of the legends of history describes Valentine as a Roman priest who fought against outlawing marriage between soldiers and women.
He apparently continued to perform marriage ceremonies for lovers in secret, which led to his eventual death. Another story notes that his death was due to his role in helping Christian people escape Roman prisons.
The mention of a Valentine greeting is in the legend where the figure of Valentine was apparently imprisoned and sent his lover a note from prison expressing his love, signing it ‘from your Valentine.’
These stories could have all been fanciful expressions of one man’s life, or perhaps stories from different figures throughout history. Now, however, Saint Valentine is commonly known as one sole figure.
Valentine’s Day is still an official feast Day for Anglican and Lutheran Churches, who may refer to this day as ‘Saint Valentine’s Feast Day’. Some other Churches also make an event or observance of this feast day on different dates later in the year.
Saint Valentine Early Festivities
There are claims that the official date of Valentine’s Day is the middle of February to commemorate the death of this Saint. Others suspect that it was an act by the Christian Church to put the Saint Valentine’s feast celebration during this time to spread the awareness of Christian observances.
This was geared towards those who celebrated the pagan event of Lupercalia at the same time. This event was a fertility festival dedicated to the Roman God of agriculture. The festivities were also centered around match-making of local women and men and were an appropriate link to Valentine’s Day’s focus on love.
Eventually, Lupercalia was outlawed as it was said to be not Christian enough as the rise of this religion began to take over from the early pagan tradition. At the end of the 5th Century, Valentine’s Day was made official, declared by Pope Gelasius to be celebrated on the 14th of February.
One of the oldest known greetings for Valentine’s Day (besides the Saint Valentine legend) is a poem from 1415 written by a man named Charles, who was the Duke of Orleans, addressed to his wife when he was imprisoned.
Handmade gifts were exchanged in America, from about as early as the 1700s. The first mass-produced cards and gifts came out around the mid-1800s, and it has only grown since then. Now we see greeting card companies reaping the benefits of the millions of people who will buy, give, or send cards around this time of year.
It’s estimated that 145 million Valentine’s Cards are sent each year. The greeting card tradition spread around the world, as well as other customs of giving chocolates and other heart shaped symbols to loved ones.
1868 was the year that the famous British chocolate company Cadbury created a decorated box of chocolates in the shape of a heart for Valentine’s Day. This is apparently where the spread of chocolate giving came into worldwide awareness with this chocolate being sold all over the world.
Though the day has a larger focus on partnership love, friends and family usually get involved in the gift giving also. For a more detailed history and to see how other places in the world celebrate Valentine’s Day, read here.
Valentine’s Day in Australia
In Australia, Valentine’s Day isn’t an official public holiday, though it is a national observance where people go out of their way to celebrate love and romance in different ways. People may spend time outdoors, as it is still during the Australian summertime in February.
Picnic’s, beach visits and other adventures outside are common for people to take part in. When it comes to celebrating with a partner or loved one, generally romantic meals at restaurants or special home-cooked events are popular choices.
There are also special events which may happen at establishments like bars and clubs, that ‘matchmake’ for singles to mingle together. Announcements of various Australia radio stations have been a pastime for decades, with people decorating their love and appreciation for another in this public way.
Gifts are generally exchanged between lovers also, like chocolate, flowers, jewelry or other items or experiences. It’s also common in schools and workplaces to have cards, flowers, and other gifts sent to these locations (as it is still a regular work and school day).
The act of making the point to give and receive gifts in public is a big focus on this day as if it were about declaring this love and expressing it for the world to see. For some inspiration for different Valentine’s Day gifts, take a look at the examples here.