Ah, Valentine’s Day…..
It either fills the heart with warm fuzzies (and your toes from the cozy slippers your love got you) or you roll your eyes and think “why do we need to be told to express our love on a particular day??”. Then there is the stress of coming up with the perfect gift (hint: massage gift certificates are always a gift that everyone loves and appreciates)
Valentine’s Day originated with the Roman festival of Lupercalia but at the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s Day, and there are several stories of how the day (and name for it) actually came to be. One story is it is from a priest who was martyred in 270 CE after writing a letter to his jailers daughter and signing it “from your Valentine” and other camps say that St. Valentine said “screw you” to the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to keep the husbands from going to war. Ah, nothing says love like a secret wedding!
Valentine’s Day isn’t always love and roses….
The first commercial valentine’s in the United States were printed in the mid-1800’s, can you imagine if you bought stock in Hallmark when they first came to be? You’d be rich by now! Just make sure you’re not anywhere like Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan or Iran on February 14 because they don’t believe in celebrating it as it could lead to immoral activities, and you may be punished. But hey, if you want to get away from all of the lovey dovey mess, now you know where to go!
These days, Valentine’s Day is celebrated with the traditional candy and (overpriced) flowers and heart shaped everything. However, we at Michigan Massage and Wellness fully support giving an experience gift, like a relaxing massage, or even better, a package of monthly massages. What better way to celebrate the love in your life than to give them the gift of an hour break from life? You can purchase a gift certificate online, anytime!
Don’t have a special someone in your life? Why not #treatyoself? And then go on February 15 and stock up on all of the half priced candy 😊
In good hands,
Rebecca Tamm, LMT
