In 496 A.D., Gelasius, the Pope of that time, set February 14th as the day to honor the Saint Valentine. This holiday became one where lovers exchanged their messages and Saint Valentine eventually became the patron of lovers and love. Here in the United States, a woman named Esther Howlands, receives the credit for the first Valentine cards. She sent those in the 1840s. Today, we continue these traditions which began over 1500 years ago with Valentines sent to our classmates, our friends, our parents, our children and of course, our loves.
Are You Looking for Love?
Did you know that Valentine’s Day is the second most popular greeting card holiday of the year? Hallmark research indicates that there are over 188 million Valentine’s Day cards, with more than 50 percent of those cards being bought in the week before February 14th.
According to national statistics, there are over 1000 dating services in the country where people looking for love or a potential mate can hook up with another. There are more than two million marriages occurring yearly – so that means that roughly 6,000 weddings will happen today. (That’s a lot of confetti!) Men and women alike, will marry for the first time between the ages of 25 and 27.
In 2005, there were nearly 5 million couples of the opposite sex who were cohabitating and sharing their homes together. While that may seem like a lot, the statistics indicate that it’s only representative of about 4.3 percent of all households.
So if you’re looking for love, you are not alone. We’re all looking for it from a very young age and we continue to look until we find the relationship that works for us. Valentine’s brings all of these statistics to the forefront along with statistics on candy, flowers and the giving of cuddly stuffed animals.
Oh and did I mention jewelry? Valentine’s is exceptionally popular for the jewelry that you can give and receive. The one drawback to Valentine’s, as I’ve always thought of it, is that a holiday devoted to lovers can make those without husbands or wives or significant others feeling lonely. It highlights a lack of something in their lives and this can be extremely depressing. Don’t forget your single friends and more during this time – it’s a great time to make them feel special and loved.
How will you show your love to those you care about this year?
Love Letters are a part of our 14 Days of Romance here in the Marriage Blog, we hope you enjoy them!
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