Make Your Valentine's Day Sizzle With The Help Of An Old Tradition

By Aimee Mahmoud

It's that time of the year again when roses are in bloom, grocery shelves are overstocked with mouth-watering chocolates, and we can't help but feel our wallets getting just a bit lighter...the Feast of St. Valentine is upon us once again, and instead of shelling out what could possibly be hundreds on department store jewelry and gourmet sweets, here's a little history lesson that will help you break out of the cycle of mundane Valentine litanies and bring some old-time romance to your 21st-century love life.

In case you weren't aware, Valentine's Day originated as a Catholic festival (or "feast", as they were frequently called throughout the Middle Ages) to commemorate the martyrdom of St. Valentine of Rome, who was secretly a Christian priest in a widely-pagan Rome during the 5th century C.E. and rumored to have handed out heart-shaped cards to other secret Christians to remind them of their god's love and their commitment to his word. Few records exist detailing his early life, and legend has it he was discovered performing illegal marriages for Roman soldiers (whom the empire deemed unfit to be married) and was interrogated by Emperor Claudius II himself before being sentenced to execution for refusing to embrace the Roman pagan religion. It was said that shortly before being executed, he handed a heart-shaped note to his jailer's blind daughter, whom he had befriended, signed "Your Valentine". Thus, the story of Valentine of Rome came to be associated with fierce love and devotion to one's convictions.  

The story of Valentine eventually made it's way into the pages of Geoffrey Chaucer's 1382 poem, 'The Parliament of Fouls', which was commissioned by King Richard II of England to honor his first wedding anniversary to his wife, Anne of Bohemia. The poem details the time when some birds would nest and mate in England, February. This uncommon notion set forth the trend of "courtly love", where lovers would often surprise each other with eloquent poems and letters expressing their passions. The practice continued well into the 19th century when the Feast of Saint Valentine (now shortened down to St. Valentine's Day, or simply Valentine's Day) was declared a national holiday in the United Kingdom (to be observed every February 14) and street fairs, as well as public and private balls, were held to celebrate romantic love. Decorations consisted of pink and red ribbons and flowers, drawings of cherubs and the Roman god of love Cupid. Popular Valentine's treats included sweet cakes, chocolates, and fine wine, which were usually part of a gift exchange between couples and admirers; and of course - pink or red heart-shaped greeting cards consisting of handwritten (or sometimes commissioned - not everyone can be a Chaucer!) poems. With the tradition of Valentine's Day becoming an international festivity and abiding well into the 21st century, the old-time tradition of courtly love in a digitalized world is largely non-existent. E-mails, text messages, and automated phone calls have become the social norm and have, despite their irrefutable convenience, completely changed the way humans interact and communicate on a basic level. In a "Want now, Have now" society, modern-day Valentine's activities typically consist of humdrum restaurant reservations and pre-packaged chocolates along with the occasional pre-written greeting card; Why not incorporate some of the long-lost traditions of courtly love into your wooing plans this Valentine's season?

1. Discover your inner poet.

Okay, we'll let you be flexible with this one. If you can't rhyme, much less write to save your life, pick out a classic poem that you think will resonate with your darling. Chaucer, Shakespeare, Frost, Shelley...whether you choose to go with classic or contemporary is totally up to you. Of course, sitting down with a notepad, a good cup of coffee, and some New Age Beat music playing in the background is a wonderful way to get your creative juices flowing and write an ode to your beloved that will have the Dead Poets Club nodding in approval. Or you could just write an affection-charged letter, reminiscent of something like a cross between a medieval knight bidding farewell to his sweetheart and a shy schoolboy slipping wide-ruled paper notes into his crush's backpack. A well-written poem, song, or love letter perfectly revives the foundation of Valentine's Day celebrations - Courtly Love - and gives 21st-century lovers a break from robotized digital messages to something much more intimate and personal.

2. The easiest way into someone's heart...

...Is through their stomach. Web articles are aplenty on the subject of creating your own chocolate delights, and while homemade chocolates aren't technically Valentine's tradition, they will endear your love's palette more than any $60 Godiva box will. As much as a handwritten poem or love letter stirs one's heart for it's genuine emotion and authenticity, buying a chocolate bon-bon mold, cocoa mass, and some sinful spices like cardamom and cinnamon will bring a wonderful personal touch to your Valentine's Day dinner. Research ingredients that have been heralded as aphrodisiacs - chocolate truffle, almonds, honey, pomegranates, etc., and incorporate them into your unique chocolate recipe! While you're at it, why not save yourself a hefty restaurant dinner reservation and look into whipping up a full-course aphrodisiac-laced meal?! 

3. Role-playing never goes out of style!

Believe it or not, lovers in olden times sometimes look towards their favorite fictional characters for romantic inspiration during the Valentine season. They sometimes dressed in costumes and wrote odes and songs with whimsical characters like Robin Hood, Jane Eyre, and Queen Scheherazade in mind. Nowadays, role-playing games can take on a sexier tone; incorporating risqué costumes and lingerie in between acts! Combine the best of both worlds and research some of your favorite literary characters (of any era) and study their secrets to amorous success. If you're female, take in a breath of confidence and surprise your honey with a stunning after-hours outfit! If you're male, shock your crush with a dapper getup while you occasionally slip lines from your favorite maudlin ballad! 

There are no limits to what can be done to break out of the boring, monotonous cycle of 21st-century Valentine's trends and start some of your very own using inspiration from Medieval poetry, Victorian literature, offbeat cuisine, and more! The important thing is to act with the heart - the very purpose of St. Valentine's Day - and make your gifts to a loved one feel genuine, emotional, and heck - feel like you both belong in a Jane Austen love story!