I’m excited to announce that my work has started a newsletter! Instead of just sharing insurance information (boring) I’ll be using my past life as a pastry chef to share recipes and holiday traditions.

Everything I share with my coworkers in our monthly newsletter will also be shared to the blog going forward (because why not right?)

Starting off in mid January I decided to do a little research on Valentines day so below is a brief origin story on the holiday.

Valentines Day Traditions

Valentine’s Day around the world is celebrated in the name of Saint Valentine, but who is this mysterious saint? And why is this holiday celebrated with such gusto!?

Although the truth behind the holiday is murky at best, there are a couple of stories circulating worth sharing.

It’s said that St. Valentine was a priest who served during the 3rd century in Rome. When the emperor Claudius II announced that single men made better soldiers than those with families and wives, he outlawed marriage for young soldiers. Valentine went against this injustice and started performing secret marriages for young lovers. When the emperor found out about Valentine’s actions, he ordered that the saint be put to death.

The other story suggests that the saint may have been killed while helping the Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were tortured. Gradually, Saint Valentine has become so popular that couples all across the world started celebrating Valentine’s Day as the day of love.

It is believed that the first-ever Valentine’s Day card was originated in France, when Charles, the Duke of Orleans, sent love letters to his wife from the prison in 1415.

10 Low and Non-Material Valentine’s Day Traditions to try:

(Couples, family and single friendly.)

- Exchange homemade and handwritten cards;

- Compose a poem for your loved one(s);

- Share a meal or a movie night together;

- Attend a Valentine’s Day Dance in your area;

- Exchange dried flowers;

- Perform a random act of kindness;

- Visit or acknowledge a departed loved one;

- Have a Valentine’s Day photo shoot;

- Have spa day (either at home or at a spa); or

- Volunteer somewhere in need (like a shelter or soup kitchen).