Most people in America associate Valentine’s Day with flowers, candy, Hallmark cards, expensive dinners, and an evening of amorous endings.
But does anyone ever mention the origins of Valentine’s Day?
Fortunately, we have Holy Rolling Rob with us today giving his $0.25 cents worth (adjusted for inflation) rant on why Valentine’s day has become a marketing masterpiece.
Take it away HRR.
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James, I know most people are clueless to the origins of Valentine’s day, mistaking it for romance, love, and millions being shamed into spending money for their “significant other.”
But the origins of this festival of candy and cupids are actually dark, bloody — and a bit muddled.
Let’s start with ancient Rome…where the original celebrations were violent.
From Feb. 13 to 15, the Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia.
The men sacrificed a goat and a dog, then whipped women with the hides of the animals they had just slain.
During this ritual these so called “romantics” were drunk and naked.
And then, young women would line up for the men to hit them with the whips.
Why?
They believed (or were told to believe) this would make them fertile.
And then came the match-making part where young men drew the names of women from a jar. The couple would then be, um, coupled up for the duration of the festival — or longer, if the match was right.
(This could be today’s equivalent of Netflix and Chill.)
Later on, it was believed that the name Valentine’s day occurred after Emperor Claudius II executed two men — both named Valentine — on Feb. 14 of different years in the third century.
Their martyrdom was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day.
Later, Pope Gelasius I muddled things in the fifth century by combining St. Valentine’s Day with Lupercalia to expel the pagan rituals.
Another classic example of religion making something shadowed in darkness into something appearing to be holy.
Eventually authors like Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized it in their work and saw the Middle Ages sweetening up Valentine’s Day with people giving each other handmade paper cards.
And then in 1913, when Hallmark began mass producing Valentines, February has not been the same since.
Unfortunately, today really dumb people will break the bank buying jewelry and flowers for their loved ones…clueless of the origins of what they are celebrating.
And even more stupid people will celebrate in a SAD (that’s Singles Awareness Day) way, dining alone and bingeing on self-gifted chocolates.
LOL!
I would wager that getting drunk, dancing around naked, whipping girls to make them fertile, and eventually doing the deed with them, was a lot more fun than having dinner alone seeking attention for being SAD.
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Thanks, HRR.
And we’re willing to wager that most people have no idea about what you just revealed to us regarding Valentine’s Day.
And hopefully many won’t feel too bad for not celebrating a pagan holiday with violent origins.
As always, if you – our Dear Readers – have a rant you would like to share then please send it to us.
You never know whose life will be affected by it.
And if you want to see some NSFW rants then go (HERE).
Share this with a friend… especially if they secretly hate celebrating Valentine’s Day out of guilt or peer pressure. They’ll thank YOU later.
And tell them:
We’re Not Just About Finance
But we use finance to give you hope.
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
~John 8:32~
