Happy Valentine's Day.
If you don't know to whom I'm addressing this post, I'm at least in the clear with you. Or so I hope. You see, today being Friday [when I'm writing this] means I'm in Seattle -- a big shout out to Ingrid Thoft who surprised me at my Third Place Books event last night. Or is it Chicago? No, that's tomorrow [Saturday]. I'm so confused, which turns out to be my alibi for neglecting to send a card, much less flowers, to my Valentines on Wednesday when I was in Los Angeles [I think.]
Okay, enough with the grovelling. Now's the time to appease, by discussing the non-candy and flowers history of the Day.
Since this is a site hosted by crime writers, you might think
I’m about to plunge into a discussion of the most famous bloody Valentine’s Day
ever, February 14, 1929. That’s when
members of Al Capone’s South Side Gang—some dressed as cops—lined up seven men
affiliated with Bugs Moran’s North Side Gang inside a garage and shot them dead
as part of a war for control of organized crime in Prohibition-era
Chicago.
But you’d be wrong, for this piece is about hearts and
flowers. No, ye cynics, not bullets
through the heart and flowers for a funeral, but those bouquets you give to
your beloved on the 14th of February—or risk consequences
unmentionable in civilized society.
Yes, chocolates (a rumored aphrodisiac) and cards (did you
know the first card was written in the form of a poem from a royal prisoner in
the Tower of London to his wife?—even he knew forgetting was not an option) are
also big Valentine’s Day favorites, too, but this is about flowers.
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| Charles, Duke of Orleans and first Valentine's Day card sender |
But first a bit of history on how lovers became so obsessed
with VD—hmm, any wonder why that acronym never caught on?
One legend says it began during a time of religious
persecution in third century Rome, when Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage
for soldier-age young men. Single men
fought better, he thought. [Ed. Note: With great will power I resisted
inserting a joke here.]
A young priest thought that unfair, and kept performing
marriages in secret. When Claudius
discovered the priest’s violation of his edict, the Emperor sentenced him to
death. While in prison, the priest befriended
and healed his jailer’s blind daughter, and before being put to death—on
February 14, 270—sent a letter to her signing it “From Your Valentine.”
Yep, Valentine was his name, and the legend goes on to say that
in 496, after Valentine had been sainted, Pope Gelasius declared February 14th
as a day to honor his memory as the patron saint of happy marriages, engaged
couples and young people.
That’s disputed though, for some claim the date corresponds to
the Roman fertility celebration of Lupercalia
held between February 13th and 15th, and others claim it
relates more to the period on the ancient Athenian calendar dedicated to the
marriage of Zeus and Hera. You knew I’d
work the Greeks in here somewhere.
 |
| Lupercalia by Beccafumi |
But it’s undisputed that the romantic love connotation to
Valentine’s Day began in the 14th Century with this simple line by
one rather influential writer:
 |
| Translation available via Glasgow |
Still, it wasn’t until the early 1700s that flowers became a
tradition on Valentine’s Day. That’s generally attributed to Charles II of
Sweden’s introduction to Europe of the Persian custom of the “language of
flowers.” Each flower had its own
meaning, a sort of secret code between the sender and recipient.
And with the rose symbolizing passion and love, it’s no
wonder roses are the number one best seller every Valentine’s Day (257 million
in the US in 2014). But there are other
flowers finding their way to Valentines, and for those of you wondering just
what your beloved may have meant by those flowers that arrived at your doorstep Wednesday, here’s a list of meanings. http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/aboutflowers/flower-meanings
Just don’t shoot the messenger.
By the way, Valentine’s Day isn’t a big deal in Greece. No reason to be, Greece gave Eros to the
world. Now it’s only looking to get some
love back in return.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Barbara, Karen, Jennifer, Gavi, and
Rachel. Okay, Jon, Terry, and Azi, too. And of course to….
Jeff—Saturday
Jeff’s Upcoming In Person events:
Saturday, February 17, 2:00 p.m. CT
Hellenic American Women’s Council
Lincolnwood Public Library
Author Speaking and Signing
4000 Pratt Avenue
Lincolnwood, IL
Wednesday, February 21, 6:00 p.m. ET
Mysterious Bookshop
Author Speaking and Signing
New York, NY
Friday, February 23, 7:00 p.m. ET
Mystery Lovers Bookshop
Author Speaking and Signing
Pittsburgh, PA
Thursday, February 29, 7:00 p.m. PT
Vroman’s Bookstore
Author Speaking and Signing
Pasadena, CA
Saturday, March 9, 3:00 p.m. CT
Murder By The Book
Author Speaking and Signing
Houston, TX
Posts
Say, Bro, what do you think?Since all the history that you relate about the invention of Valentine’s Day were acts of men, perhaps all those stereotypes of women getting angry if they don’t get flowers and chocolates might be misplaced. Perhaps, the current “requirement “ is an invention of men, who want to show they love or desire while remaining tough guys and not the soft hearted swains they actually are.
ReplyDeleteSis, I can’t speak to “stereotypes of women getting angry if they don’t get flowers and chocolates,” because I never had any knowing VD dealings with any of that sort. :).
DeleteI knew something about Saint Valentine, but I never knew that Chaucer contributed to our celebration of the day of lovers on February 14. Thanks for that bit of info, Jeff!
ReplyDeleteThat Geoffrey was a sly sort. :). Jeff
DeleteVery interesting stuff I didn't know about, thanks!
ReplyDeleteMy knowing something you didn’t, blows my mind, Ovidia. 😎
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ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous rose flowers they are!
ReplyDelete