Valentine Week Full List 2024: Here Are The 7 Important Days Marking The Celebration Of Love

Valentine's Day, also known as Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated every year on February 14. It is a day to express love and affection to one's romantic partner, friends, and family members.

The week leading up to Valentine's Day is marked by a series of celebrations. Here are popular days celebrated:

Rose Day (February 7): The week begins with Rose Day, where individuals express their love and admiration by gifting roses to their loved ones.

Propose Day (February 8): On this day, people propose to their partners or confess their feelings to someone they admire.

Chocolate Day (February 9): This day is dedicated to celebrating love and affection through the exchange of chocolates.

Teddy Day (February 10): Teddy bears are exchanged on this day to symbolise the warmth and comfort of a relationship. The act of giving a teddy bear represents the desire to hold and cherish one's partner.

Promise Day (February 11): On Promise Day, couples make commitments and promises to each other, solidifying their bond and trust in the relationship. This can involve making vows of loyalty, love, and support through thick and thin.

Hug Day (February 12): Hug Day encourages couples to share hugs. Hugging is known to have numerous psychological and physiological benefits, such as reducing stress and promoting feelings of trust and safety.

Kiss Day (February 13): The day before Valentine's Day is celebrated as Kiss Day, where couples express their love and affection through a simple yet powerful act: a kiss.

The origins of Valentine's Day are somewhat unclear but there are a few predominant theories about its origins:

One theory traces the origins of Valentine's Day to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated from February 13-15. During this festival, Romans would engage in rituals to purify the city, promote fertility, and ward off evil spirits.

Another theory suggests that the tradition of celebrating romantic love on Valentine's Day can be traced back to medieval English poet Geoffrey Chaucer. In his poem "Parliament of Fowls," written in the 14th century, Chaucer links the tradition of courtly love with the celebration of Valentine's Day.

During the Middle Ages, Valentine's Day became associated with romantic love through the exchange of love notes called "valentines."

The most popular legend involves a Christian priest named Valentine, who lived during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius II. The emperor had imposed a ban on marriages, believing that single men made better soldiers. Defying this decree, Valentine secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young couples in love. When his actions were discovered, he was arrested and later executed on February 14. Valentine was subsequently canonised by the Catholic Church, and his feast day became associated with love and romance.

Valentine's Day traditions have evolved significantly over the centuries, with many customs still practised today. The exchange of love letters, now known as "valentines," dates back to the 15th century. The oldest known Valentine in existence is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

One of the most iconic Valentine's Day symbols is the heart, which has long been associated with love and affection. In addition to hearts, other symbols like Cupid, the Roman god of love, and roses, the flower of love, have become intertwined with Valentine's Day celebrations.

The exchange of gifts, such as chocolates and flowers, is another Valentine's Day tradition. The practice of giving chocolates can be traced back to the 19th century when Richard Cadbury, a British chocolatier, introduced the first heart-shaped box of chocolates. Similarly, the tradition of giving roses has its roots in Victorian England, where flowers were used to communicate romantic feelings.