This past Wednesday was Valentine’s Day, a day for a celebration of the love we all hold dear to our hearts. However, some people might not know the history of this famous day.

Another name for Valentines Day is St. Valentine’s Day. An interesting fact is that Valentine’s Day was actually originally a Roman festival called Lupercalia. This festival celebrated the beginning of spring and a time  when women were paired up with men by lottery. Encyclopedia Britannica stated that it was not until after the 5th century that Pope Gelasius 1 changed Lupercalia to St. Valentine’s Day.

Another interesting fact is how the concept of valentines came to be. There are multiple theories of how it happened. One theory is that a pope sent a message to his friend’s daughter and signed it, “From Your Valentine.”

A different theory is that Saint Valentine married couples in secret, to stop the men from going off to war. As a symbol of this love, Saint Valentine’s name is now used as an affectionate term for the ones we love.

A beautiful thing about Valentine’s Day is that the day means something different to each and every person. The day stands for any and all love, so some people spend the day celebrating anything from romantic love to familial love.

A Hingham mother named Maria Burke stated, “Although I think we should tell the ones we love how much we appreciate and love them every day, I think this holiday is a sweet reminder to just express it to them a little more. I like to celebrate with my Valentine by spending time together whether out to dinner or to a movie. I also like to do little special things for my children on Valentine’s day to remind them how special they are. Valentine’s Day to me is not about the gifts or flowers but more about showing the ones you love how much you think of them and appreciate them. To me, a kind gesture and spending time together means so much more. Don’t get me wrong, flowers are a nice touch too!”

Ailuna Mclaughlin, a student that goes to South Shore Vo-Tech said, “Well, I look forward to seeing the one person that can make my day the best day it could be. I make sure I appreciate the person that means the most to me and is there for me. We both get surprise gifts for each other that mean something special.”

Further, Ashley Buckridge, a freshman at Hingham High shared, “I guess we just kind of had gifts for each other like Abby’s song. It was more homemade stuff we didn’t go out and spend a bunch of money on each other because that’s not really what’s important. Instead we did personal stuff for each other that had more meaning that fancy chocolates or expensive gifts.”

Though some would think this holiday is only celebrated in the romantic sense, friends also celebrate the love they have for one another. They can give one another valentines cards, or even pass out candy.

A freshman student at Hingham High School named Elizabeth Rouche explained, “I don’t do anything really, if my friends ask me to be a part of something for their significant other, I’ll of course do it. However, I don’t pass out candy to them or anything, I think it’s fun for people in relationships.”

Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that makes you appreciate the people you care most about in your life. Some people claim that this is a sad day if you do not have someone special in your life. But everyone in your life is special if they mean something to you. Valentine’s Day is a holiday that everyone should express love for family, friends, and that special someone.