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The history and anecdotes of Valentine's Day
History of Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is celebrated every year on 14 February. But why do people celebrate this special day of love and where does Valentine's Day actually come from? The history of Valentine's Day goes way back in time and has a deeper meaning that goes beyond romantic gifts.
When is Valentine's Day?
Valentine's Day takes place every year on 14 February. This date is firmly anchored in the calendar and is celebrated by millions of people worldwide. Regardless of whether it is a weekday or a weekend, the day of love always remains the same.
Where does Valentine's Day come from?
The origins of Valentine's Day are not clearly documented, but one of the best-known legends takes us back to ancient Rome. St Valentine of Terni, a priest, is said to have secretly married couples despite an imperial ban. Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage for soldiers as he believed that unmarried men were better warriors. Valentin opposed this ban and blessed the lovers. His sacrifice for love cost him his life on 14 February. In 469, Pope Gelasius declared this day a public holiday in honour of Saint Valentine.
Why do we celebrate Valentine's Day?
Today, Valentine's Day symbolises love in all its facets. Originally, however, it was about more than romantic gestures. The day reminds us to celebrate love, affection and gratitude - be it for partners, friends or family. Over the centuries, the custom of giving small gifts or flowers to express appreciation developed.
Meaning of Valentine's Day
The meaning of Valentine's Day varies around the world. While many Western countries focus on romantic relationships, other cultures use the day to celebrate friendship or family ties. In Japan, women traditionally give chocolate as a gift, while in South Korea ‘White Day’ has been established as a counter celebration. No matter where, Valentine's Day remains a symbol of love and solidarity.
How is Valentine's Day celebrated around the world, where are the differences?
Valentine's Day is celebrated differently in different countries. In the USA, it is customary to give cards, flowers and chocolate. In Italy, couples traditionally spend the day with a romantic dinner and attach love locks to bridges. In Japan, women give men chocolate - and not just to their romantic partners, but also to colleagues and friends. A month later, on ‘White Day’, the men return the favour with gifts. In South Korea, singles celebrate ‘Black Day’ in April, when they eat jajangmyeon (black soya bean noodles). In Denmark, people send pressed snowdrops and poems, while in South Africa, women write the name of their beloved on their sleeves. These cultural differences show that Valentine's Day celebrates love in many different ways. Find out more about Valentine's Day customs in other countries here.
Valentine's Day stories & anecdotes from our florists
Valentine's Day is one of the most exciting days for florists - and full of unforgettable stories. Our florists share their favourite anecdotes that show that love really does know no bounds.
"May our love last until the last rose has faded."
A dear customer of ours wanted to give his wife a very special bouquet of flowers for Valentine's Day. He chose lots of classic red roses as a symbol of love. He also opted for a silk flower, also a red rose. He happily tells us that he will hand over the bouquet with the words: "May our love last until the last rose has faded."
Of course, we were all very touched and think back fondly on this loving gesture.
One more rose every year.
The white rose symbolises innocence and eternal fidelity, the red rose stands for passionate love - and every year there is one more rose. For example, one of our customers regularly makes his sweetheart happy on Valentine's Day. The number of roses increases with each year of love. This also gave rise to the question of the right vase. "This is a recurring problem," says the customer with a smile. As a professional Fleurop partner, we naturally always have the right vase on offer - and look forward to every happy year with him.
"You are the love of my life"
The funniest story we've had on a Valentine's Day is when we sold a young man three bouquets of red roses - so far quite unspectacular. Afterwards, however, the customer took three greeting cards with the words "You are the love of my life" printed on them. This caused a secret smile and a few laughs afterwards.
Past times
In 1975, we drew attention to Valentine's Day for the first time. We hired a horse-drawn carriage, decorated children's bicycles and rode together through the streets of the neighbourhood. We gave flowers to people walking and cycling on the streets, and there were also balloons. We used a bell to draw attention to ourselves. It was a great event and the children in particular had a lot of fun!
Blumen Schüler, Taunusstein-Bleidenstadt
"I'm not going along with this crap."
Evil tongues claim every year: "Valentine's Day is an invention of the florists". On 14 February, friends were talking about the occasion and quickly agreed: "I'm not going along with this crap." Just in time for the end of the working day, three of them were standing in our flower shop - and looked at each other with wide eyes: "What, you here? You didn't want to ...?"
With this in mind: the magic of flowers is magical! We are already looking forward to Valentine's Day again.
Since the "sandbox"
We once had a huge bouquet of red roses for Valentine's Day. The customer was a former classmate who had married a classmate. The couple have been together since the "sandbox". A few weeks later, I bumped into the client and his wife while out shopping. I then wanted to know from his wife how the bouquet had arrived and whether it had lasted long. They both stared at me with huge eyes - one with horror, the other with astonishment. I quickly left ...
Blumenhaus Brockmann, Tornesch
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