Gifting Birthstone Jewellery as a Valentine’s Day gift is a great idea, but do you know where the tradition of Valentine’s Day comes from?

On February 14th in many countries over the Globe, Valentine’s Day is celebrated.

As much as it now seems to be a day for greeting cards and flower retailers, it is, in fact, an old tradition going back centuries.

Saint Valentine’s Day is an actual official feast day in the Anglican Communion as well as the Lutheran Church. It is an annual church holiday, a so-called “Names Day” recognised by western churches, honouring early saints named Valentinus.

There are different stories associated with the story of Valentine’s Day as we know it today.

One of the more popular accounts is, St Valentine of Rome was imprisoned for marrying soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering Christians who were persecuted under the Roman Empire. Whilst Saint Valentine was imprisoned he healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius. Before his execution, he wrote a letter and signed it

Your Valentine

Another belief of the origin of Valentine’s Day is it was placed on the 14th February by the Church to “Christianise”  that day and the following because the15th February the pagan festival of Lupercalia was celebrated by the Romans as a day of health and fertility, warding off evil spirits.

In the 14th Century, Valentine’s Day became associated with romantic love when Geoffrey Chaucer, the medieval author of The Canterbury Tales, mentioned Saint Valentine’s Day in his poem Parlement of Foules.  In 1382 Chaucer wrote Parlement of Foules to honour the anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia. He wrote,

For this was on Seynt Valentynes day,

Whan every foul cometh ther to chese his make

For this was on St. Valentine’s Day when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.

By the 18th Century in England, Valentine’s Day had evolved into an occasion where lovers expressed their love for each other.

Flowers and confectionary were gifted and greeting cards sent.

This year why not give your loved one a piece of Birthstone Jewellery as a Valentine’s Day gift.

Birthstones are personal. red roses, a Valentine’s card and a piece of birthstone jewellery as a gift on Valentine’s Day are wonderful ways of showing your love.