I've been thinking a lot about Valentine's Day. Last year I was one of those happy in love couples that celebrated a very romantic Valentine's Day. This year I am in the single group dreading the dumb-ass holiday and seeing it for all its CHEESINESS. So, on this Monday morning when I am unable to sleep, I researched the history of vday and found some very amusing things:
1) V-day's ancestor (if you will) was a Pagan holiday that started off with an animal sacrifice. Here's the good part, they ritualistically slapped young women with the animal's skin and blood to promote fertility for the coming year...ok let's think about this for a minute, what is now today about giving flowers, chocolate, and diamonds, used to be about hitting women with bloody skin pieces....................YAY FOR EVOLUTION OF TRADITIONS
2) The second stage in the evolution process is less interesting but i'll mention it quickly. Marriage was banned for a short period because love was distracting the soldiers, for they were missing their wifies back home. So St. Valentine, a priest, was marrying young couples in secret, against the emperors wishes to get rid of love (war instead of love, how sad). Anyhow, St Valentine was discovered, and imprisoned. During his time in jail he fell in love with the warden's daughter, and on February 14th, the day of St. Valentine's execution, he sent her a message saying "Love from you Valentine." and then somehow from that we evolved our superfluous version of that romantic story.
