LETS TALK ABOUT VALENTINES DAY

       

                              LETS TALK ABOUT VALENTINES DAY

I’ve never really enjoyed Valentines day and this year I wasn’t going to bother doing anything at all. When did this
holiday become filled with so much pressure and expectation?  But
 then a chat with my sister changed my mind
 completely. This day isn't strictly a couples holiday and couples
 don't need to spend a bunch to prove their
feelings. So Ive decided to do a Valentine’s Day blog with v day facts,
 history and ways to spend the day that may not necessarily be conventional 

 

  

♥️ Why February 14th? 

We all know Valentine’s Day as a day we spoil our loved ones and if you’re like me you have no idea why.

There’s a little mystery around the actual story behind St valentine and how the day came about

I found soo many stories online so I thought I’d share a favourite! 

In 496 AD Pope Gelasius declared February 14th a day to honour St Valentine.

St valentine would preform secret marriages for young lovers when Roman Emperor Claudius the 2nd outlawed

 marriage because he believed single men made better soldiers. After word got out St valentine was sentenced to death

 on February 14th.

🤍Spending v day alone 

Spending Valentine’s Day with people who aren’t your significant other isn’t really anything new. You can spend it with friends you can spend it with family but if you’re in lockdown or you just don’t want to spend v day with anyone you can really take this day for yourself, go hard or go home boo.

💌 show yourself love - schedule something for today, it may be flowers it may be a gift it even may be an alarm you set for the morning with endearing words to yourself - imagine that the 1st thing you see when you wake up , f**k a good morning text

💌 take the time to do something you love- You may not be good at it or you may not usually have the time to do it. Paint, bake, play an instrument - who knows just do it.

💌 self care - of course self care is going to be on here but self care means so many different things to so many different people, so let’s keep it short. Try and find the line between lounging and lazy. Wake up and have a luxurious shower or bath, use all the products you save for a special occasion and then put on your favourite outfit - as extravagant or low-key it may be, if it makes you happy, wear it.

💌 be boring and go for a walk - but really walks aren’t boring. You’re in your favourite fit and shops may not be open. A walk is such a good time to be with yourself, learn about yourself and your body of course also benefits. Maybe bring a book, bring a pencil and paper - draw some sh** , be a photographer for the day and take some pics, write a song. Just be with yourself ♥️

💌 a cozy evening - you’re home, you’re cold, maybe tired maybe hungry. Bubble bath, make a playlist filled with songs that make you happy, a coffee or wine, water or juice. Pick a beverage that makes you happy, bring snack, why not? Read a book, watch a movie, or just sit and let the day melt away. Jump out - cook your favourite meal or order your favourite takeaway. Call a friend or family member or FaceTime them? Blast your favourite music or paint your nails.

Point is - it’s your day

Do what you want 🤍

History behind Cupid 💘

"You are a lover. Borrow Cupid's wings and soar with them above a common bound." ~ William Shakespeare

Ah Cupid. Ancient Roman God of love- Son of Venus. Also known as ‘Amor’ in Latin poetry and known to Greeks as ‘Eros’

Cupid is often portrayed as the cute little chubby baby, sometimes blindfolded, why?

I’ve read Cupid is depicted as a baby because babies represent the combination of two people in love and the blindfold because as they say ‘love is blind’

💘 a little bit about him 💘

According to Roman mythology Cupid fell madly in love with Psyche despite his mother being madly jealous over Psyches beauty.

Venus gave Psyche a series of tasks looking to destroy her. The last one being to take a box to the underworld and collect some beauty from Proserpine but was warned not to open it.

As you probably guessed, she did and was cursed with a deadly slumber. 

Unlike our St valentines story this one has a happy ending.

Cupid, who really loved Psyche came across her lifeless body. He forgave Psyche and swept the deadly slumber back into the box. The gods then made Psyche a goddess. 🤍

 “I am in Love with Love

and Love is in love with me.

My body is in Love with the soul

and the soul is in Love with my body.

I opened my arms to Love

and Love embraced me like a lover.” ~

Rumi

 Lupercalia ♥️ 

Lupercalia is of Roman origins and is an ancient pagan festival held each year in Mid-February.

I’ve read Lupercalia was a bloody violent and sexually charged celebration with activities including

- animal sacrifice

-drinking red wine

-fertility rituals

- random matchmaking and coupling in hopes of warding off evil spirits and infertility.

Why?

I’ve read online that this is all done in the name of purification. To purify the city of Rome on this festival guaranteed a good crop, plenty of pregnancies and overall good health 

Spending v day with family (or friends) 👯‍♀️

Valentine’s with your partner is so mainstream I’m probably not going to write anything about it.

Valentine’s with your friends and family is also very mainstream but not spoken about AS much.

I think the core to Valentine’s is love and you don’t need to be in a relationship to feel it.

I’m not saying you need to deck the house with balloons and flowers but I do think there are things we could do to show appreciation to our friends/family when we may not have time to do it in our everyday life.

🌹 write a letter. To your mum, sister, brother, dad, friend or whoever. Handwritten is so much more personal, tell them all the things you’re grateful for and how much they mean to you. Post it or leave it on their pillow ♥️

🌹a sweet gesture. Make their favourite meal, offer to watch their favourite movie or do something together that you can bond over, spend time together and maybe learn a little more about each other!

🌹 make something!! Oh how we are used to hearing ‘make the presents!!’ But it doesn’t have to be so typical and impersonal. Think about the person you’re making a gift for. What do they like? What can you do? Are you artsy? Can you draw, paint, make something? Do they have a favourite song, lyric or poem that you could turn into art?

You could even add a bunch of pictures and videos of the both of you with music over it and make an appreciation video!

What I’m trying to say is surprise someone you love, make them feel special and tell them you appreciate them.

That’s what Valentine’s Day is about 💌

Oh and death and fertility rituals, apparently.

Why red roses? 🌹

Red roses are insane popular on valentines day and its pretty obvious why. When people think of red if not anger then  thoughts are filled with passion, love and desire. I thought there may have been more of a background story to the red rose and I was right! 

Giving flowers on Valentines day dates back to the late 17th century, during the reign of King Charles II of Sweden

While on a trip to Persia he had discovered 'The language of flowers.' This is an art that focused on communicating with not a word and only flowers. This was a massive trend in Europe, with lists of flowers and their meanings being widely distributed. 

Rose standing for deep love. 

The rose had also taken on this meaning because of its association with Aphrodite, the goddess of love in Greek mythology. It is said that rose bushes grew from the ground through Aphrodite’s tears and the blood of her lover, Adonis. The Romans, who turned Aphrodite into their goddess Venus, kept the rose as her symbol of love and beauty. 

💌Something fun: Write yourself a love letter, save it, open it next year  💌