Valentine's Day

A Made Up Holiday?

That was the comment from a coworker of mine on the subject of Valentine's Day.  Valentine's Day was a marketing ploy designed to sell Hallmark Cards, Chocolates, and Flowers.  My response was "Is your wife buying that?"

Older than you may think

A little research indicates that as a holiday for lovers, Valentine's Day goes back at least as far as Chaucer:

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

Even Shakespeare was using it, from Hamlet Act IV, Scene 5   

To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day, All in the morning betime, And I a maid at your window, To be your Valentine. Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes, And dupp'd the chamber-door; Let in the maid, that out a maid Never departed more.

And from a selection of English Nursery Rhymes 1784

The rose is red, the violet's blue,
The honey's sweet, and so are you.
Thou art my love and I am thine;
I drew thee to my Valentine:
The lot was cast and then I drew,
And Fortune said it shou'd be you

 

 So, It's Not A Made Up Holiday

So, what are you still doing here? Go get a bottle of champagne, some chocolate dipped strawberries, and get out there.

In a more modern, albeit somewhat cruder sentiment, but in the spirit of the bawdy Chaucer; you may want to clear the kids out of the room before listening:

Cheers!

~Finntann~