Yes, there really was a Saint Valentine. He was a Roman priest who lived in the third century. A good portion of his ministry was caring for Christians who were being hunted down, tortured, and killed by Emperor Claudius II. Eventually, Valentine was captured and beheaded around the year 270. He is the patron saint of greetings, which seems like a pretty logical explanation for the origins of the customs of Valentine's Day (and the use of Hallmark). In actuality, giving cards to your love on this day had pagan origins. In ancient times, boys drew "the names of girls in honor of their goddess, Februarto Juno, on February 15." Christians, to combat this pagan custom, substituted the names of saints for the goddess, sort of the way Christians co-opted the Winter Solstice from the Druids and Celts by transforming it into Christmas. We Christians recognize a good thing when we see it. And if it gives me an excuse to receive free chocolate, all the better.
Really, when you think about it, having a day dedicated to love, whether it's pagan or Christian, isn't such a bad idea. There's really not many holidays that, by their very definitions, are designed to make us appreciate people. My daughter, of course, will be coming home from school this afternoon with a bag full of the latest in sugar crack for kids. She herself is contributing Airheads and Fun Dips. Airheads are just bastardized versions of Laffy Taffy. Fun Dips consist of a stick of candy that the consumer licks, scoops into a packet of crystallized powder, then licks or sucks again. It's a pretty disgusting confection, ranking right up there in my books with Pixie Stix, which are just paper straws filled with flavored sugar. Kids love this shit.
For the two or three long-time readers of my blog, you already know my affinity for chocolate. Along with books,
American Idol, and Jesus, chocolate is one of the few things I take very seriously. At the top of my list of favorite reads from the last few years is
Candyfreak by Steve Almond. It's a non-fiction account of Almond visiting candy factories and writing about the manufacture of various popular sugary treats. He talks about the origin of his candy obsession, categorizes and ranks the favorite candies of his childhood, and discusses issues like fame and mortality. And he gets tons of free chocolate to boot. The guy is a genius.
Aside from exchanging cards, my wife and I aren't really do anything special for Valentine's Day today. We went to Red Lobster last Friday, but that really had nothing to do with our love for each other and everything to do with lobster pizza and artichoke dip. I bought my wife some heart-shaped Reese's Peanut Butter cups, which she began eating on Friday night. Tonight, I'm chauffeuring our daughter from religion class to dance class to home. My wife is going out with friends from her women's group at church. We probably won't see each other until after 9:30 p.m. Not much room for romance. I don't think I'll even have the energy for a dirty thought by the time I see my wife this evening.
So, I'm all for a pagan/Christian holiday focused on love and chocolate. I really believe in the importance of telling people you love them, in letting them know you respect and appreciate their contributions to your life. I wish each and every one of you a Happy Valentine's Day.
And for the record, I love chocolate creams (anything but maple, coffee, and coconut). Just in case you were wondering what to get me.
