Traditional Gifts for Valentine’s Day
These can be listed as chocolates, jewellery, perfume, teddy bears and roses. Anyone notice that these are very female- orientated? Yes, I know some men wear jewellery, and many use perfumes but all women wear jewellery, even if it is just one piece, and all women use perfume of some description, from the expensive stuff through to essential oils. So, I’m sticking my neck out and saying Valentine’s Day is directed at women receiving gifts more than men. Is that fair? No, I don’t think so. Men love romantic gestures too, but maybe they would be less blown away if they receive gifts from this list. I don’t know for sure, but that’s the impression I get.
Valentine’s Day Cards
Valentine’s Day cards or messages can be dated right back to Saxon times when it was traditional to leave anonymous messages, and sometimes gifts, at the door of a loved one and run away. Many changes happened over the years, but being anonymous, and a man sending the message to the woman prevailed. Even as late as the early to mid-20th century, it would have been unthinkable for a woman to send a man a Valentine’s card. It would have been seen as brazen and not ladylike. Just like a marriage proposal, men were supposed to make the first move. Some leeway was given in the 5th century when allegedly St Bridget complained to St Patrick that women had to wait too long to receive a marriage proposal. According to the legend, St. Patrick said that the yearning females could propose on one day in February during the leap year – February 29th.
Pinched from the Pagans?
Valentine’s Day was, like a lot of Christian celebratory holidays, stolen from the Pagan’s way back in history, this particular day in Roman times. Originally Valentine’s Day was the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15, but was recast by Pope Gelasius in circa 496, who declared February 14 to be St. Valentine’s Day as three holy men called Valentine were, amazingly, martyred on the same day – February 14th
Others believe that Valentine’s Day was named after a prisoner of the Roman Caesar, Claudius, who sent his heart’s desire a letter before he was executed and signed it ‘from your Valentine’. The letter was dated 14th February.
Whatever the truth is, we now have Valentine’s Day as an annual tradition; a day when we express our romantic love and the modern meaning and traditions of giving a gift still prevail today just like it always has.
Now What Happens on Valentine’s Day?
The five traditional gifts are still popular, but women are as likely as men to be the gift-givers. The most significant change is that we are much more inventive when it comes to gifts now with experiences high on the gift list. Giving a gift voucher or booking someone in for a romantic hot air balloon ride is very popular, or for the thrill seekers a high-speed boat ride or jumping out of a plane together, which is not only popular for Valentine’s Day, but many adventurous couples skydive on their wedding day in full wedding gear. I’ve even heard of a wedding day paintball session with the bride’s dress looking spectacular splatted in multi-coloured paint. There are lots more activity adventures to choose from if you want to deviate from the traditional, which we can thoroughly recommend if you’re going to pump a bit of adrenalin into your relationship. Pop onto the Geronigo® website, or better still download the Geronigo® App onto your phone and spice up you and your loved one’s life any day of the year.
By CJ