February is here and love is in the air. The 14th of February is a prominent milestone, especially in the developed countries, that marks St. Valentine’s Day, in memory of the saint by the same name. The history of St. Valentine, and its patron saint, is still not fully known and is shrouded in some mystery, but what matters is that February has long been a month of romance. Loved ones exchange gifts, flowers, candy and greeting cards on this day. Who is this mysterious saint and why do so many people celebrate this day?

There are different beliefs about how Valentine’s Day began. Many say this originated in an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia (young men struck people with strips made out of animal hides; women vied with each other to take as many blows believing the whipping would make them more fertile); others contend this is related to one or more saints of the early Christian church viz a priest named Valentine disobeyed orders of Emperor Claudius II, who forbade young men to marry in the belief that single men made better soldiers, and secretly married young couples. The other Valentine was an early Christian who made friends with children. He was put into prison by the Romans because he refused to worship Roman gods. The children missed Valentine so much that they wrote loving notes and tossed them into his cell window. Still others link Valentine’s Day with an old English belief that on February 14 birds choose their mates. In all probability, Valentine’s Day is a combination of all these three sources.

Some stories say that that Valentine was executed on February 14 about A.D. 269. In A.D. 496, Saint Pope Gelasius I named February 14 as St. Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day around the world
February 14 is celebrated as Valentine’s Day in many countries in different styles. In the United States and Canada, children exchange valentines with their friends. Classroom parties are held in schools where all the valentines are put into a decorated box; the valentines are then distributed at the end of the day.

Dances and parties are held by the older students. Candy baskets, gifts, cards trimmed with hearts and fat and winged cupids are exchanged. People send flowers, a box of candy, or some other gift to their wives, husbands, or sweethearts. Most valentine candy boxes are heart-shaped and tied with red ribbon.

This quaint customs is also celebrated in Europe. British children sing special Valentine’s Day songs and receive gifts of candy, fruit, or money. In some areas of England, people bake valentine buns with caraway seeds, plums, or raisins.

Italy hold a Valentine’s Day feast is held.
Believe it or not, in Britain and Italy, it is not surprising for some unmarried women get up before sunrise on Valentine’s Day, stand by window and watch for a man to pass. They believe that the first man they see will marry them within a year.

In Denmark, pressed white flowers called snowdrops are exchanged.

In Japan, Valentine’s Day has emerged, thanks to a concentrated marketing effort, as a day on which women give chocolates to men they like. Rather than being voluntary however, this has become for many women – especially those who work

in offices – an obligation, and they give chocolates to all their male colleagues, sometimes at significant personal expense. This chocolate is known as giri-choco, from the words giri (obligation) and choco, a common short version of chokoreeto, meaning chocolate.

The Valentine’s Day bug has also bitten the young, and the young-at-heart in Pakistan and this day is celebrated with increasing gusto each year. This is not entirely unexpected. The invasion of satellite and cable television and the internet have created a new awareness among the people. However, this practice is more or less limited to the more affluent areas in the major cities. It is normal to see colourful Valentine’s Day cards being sold in almost all bookstalls, special cakes are made for the occasion, candy and gifts are sent and messages are exchanged via SMS over cell phones.

Some leading English newspapers dedicate a whole page for people wanting to send messages and notes to their loved ones. Special shows are also aired on this day by some television channels. On this day, all entertainment spots, especially