However, the "love holiday" has been around for much longer than Hallmark. Most people think of Saint Valentine of the Catholic church. What most people don't realize is that the church recognizes at least three saints by that name, and all stories related to them are legend.
The other school of thought is that the church created the holiday in their effort to convert pagans celebrating the ancient purification and fertility festival of Lupercalia. This Roman festival began at the ides of February... that's February 15, folks. It honored the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, who were raised by a she-wolf or lupa. As the beginning of spring, the rite also honored Faunus, the god of agriculture. Thus, the whole fertility angle.
My money's on Lupercalia as the true origin of the holiday. If you'd like to celebrate in a more traditional way than chocolate and roses, here are a few steps you can take:
- Sweep the house.
- Sprinkle salt and spelt on the floors.
- Sacrifice a goat* (for ferility) and a dog* (for purity).
- Gently slap all the women you see with bloody strips of goathide.
Of course, this doesn't mean that I'm not a romantic. I just don't think my husband needs to shower me with gifts to show me he loves me. I'm still a romantic at heart, especially where it comes to literature and poetry. Here are a few quotes about love from history.com.
My bounty is as boundless as the sea, My love as deep; the more I give to thee, The more I have, for both are infinite. -- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward in the same direction.-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Love does not dominate; it cultivates.-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Stop by the the History Channel website for an abbreviated history of Valentine's Day and other non-fattening Valentine's goodies.* This blog in no way condones the sacrifice of any animals. This is a JOKE, people.
12 comments:
Valentine's Day is a Hallmark holiday maliciously created to depress and
humiliate single people. I think it's awful. The evil corporations who
have conspired to rub it in with their diabetes-inducing chocolates,
lame cards that overflow the landfills, tired roses, and sleazy lingerie
that end up selling for $3 at Goodwill after be worn for exactly 11
seconds.
You know what's really profound about love and happiness? This passage from "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert:
"Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don't, you will leak away your innate contentment."
This, of course, is good news for goats and dogs, bad news for the corporations who sucker the suckers into buying chocolates and flowers.
>This, of course, is good news for goats and dogs
I'm all for that. I'd miss goat cheese and wagging tails.
I've known far too many women who makes life a living hell for the men in their lives that don't go all out for Valentine's Day.
Women like that and I don't seem to get along too well. You and I have to meet for a beer some time. :-)
Beer!! Now that's what Valentine's Day should be about.
BTW, I've been having weird dreams about my renter. I guess I have a crush on him.
You know what sucks? Even though GG tells me I don't have to get her anything for Valentine's Day -- and even though we're both in TSOM together, and too busy to give each other treats for the holiday -- I feel guilty that I haven't got her anything!
Marketing, thou art mine bane.
>BTW, I've been having weird dreams about my renter.
It's the whole forbidden fruit thing.
In "Sound of Music" I'm a nun and Avindair is a priest. Ha!
Avindair -
We've both worked in advertising. You must RESIST its siren song!
We'll pour a couple of Jameson and Diet Cokes and rub each other's poor, sore feet. How's that?
Besides. You brought me lunch at work yesterday. I'd rather have that than all the roses and chocolates in the world.
Actaully, Kristi, I think it was your "Thornbirds" comment that did it.
If I become a challace chipper, it's your fault!!!
That was me that said the above comment...
I hit the post button too quickly.
>If I become a challace chipper, it's your fault!!!
Ha!
Yeah, but just think... it would be so much more interesting than Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward.
...challace chipper... I love it.
Oops! I just realized that I was signed in as Avindair. The last comment was ME!
Kristi really enjoy your knowledge of Pagan and Celtic lore and your good use of this on a holiday off the calendar. It means more but I will refrain from slapping women tho received my fare share, you know. hehee.
In addition to your proviso, additional Euro-centric wisdom and Celtic language honors the journeys home made by lovers seperated by long distances and passages especially by sea in the Gaelic phrase,
'Slan Ahlie!' pronounced 'SLAWN AH LAY' and it means 'SAFE PASSAGES HOME'.
BTW> if you remember this weekend between events, the link to scribd.com is a PULP SCI FI magazine. With great illustrations like in the days of STARLOG and fictions.
Hey!
Thanks for the Gaelic phrase (PLUS pronunciation). I've always wanted to learn it, but haven't gotten any further than Sláinte (Good Health). Of course, it's a toast!
I think I'll have time to check out that link tomorrow. Curtain is at 2pm, so our weekend will start around 5pm!
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