Love is in the air once more - whether that's romance, friendship, or treating yourself to a bit of self-care, we've got you covered this Valentine's Day at Suzie K, with gifts and inspiration to make it a truly special one.
The history of Valentine’s Day
The pagan origins of Valentine's Day were nothing like the chocolates and flowers we know today. The Roman festival of Lupercalia was a popular spring rite for centuries, a celebration of fertility to matchmake future husbands and wives (amidst some practices like animal sacrifice and ritualistic whipping that would certainly not seem very romantic today!)
The festival was given a Christian makeover in the fifth century by pope Gelasius who banned Lupercalia and instead encouraged the feast of St Valentine on February 14th.
We're still not sure which St Valentine the feast was dedicated to, as there were a few different ones. However, one possible candidate was a Roman priest who conducted secret marriage ceremonies for soldiers who'd been forbidden to marry as Emperor Claudius II believed unmarried men made better warriors. Valentine paid the price for this service with his life however, as he was discovered, arrested and executed in the year 270 - who says romance is dead!
Valentine’s Day today
Thankfully, the Valentine's Day we know today is very different from its history of executions and sacrifices! The modern themes of hearts and flowers likely date back to writers like Chaucer and Shakespeare who associated the holiday – which takes place just as spring is approaching, flowers are beginning to bloom and birds are starting to nest again – with love and romance.
The first love-letters written for the festival didn’t catch on until the Victorian era, and Valentines cards as we know them only started to become popular in the early 1900s.
How you can celebrate Valentine's Day
You don't have to be romantically involved to celebrate! Self-love and friendship counts just as much as being part of a romantic relationship. Some ideas to celebrate the season include:
Treat your significant other(s), yourself, your friend or family member to a gift, card, meal or visit - there are many types of love and there's never a bad time to express them!
Cleanse, energise and spend time with your rose quartz crystal for loving, healing energy.
Take a relaxing bath with some rose petals or oil, to cleanse and ground you.
Light some candles and incense, and take the time to breathe, focusing on bringing in love and positivity with each inhale and letting go of anxiety and negativity with each exhale. Meditate on your affirmations and feel that love being drawn towards you.
Take a walk in nature and notice spring starting to bloom.
Valentine's Day at Suzie K
If you're looking for gift ideas, we have you covered. Come and visit our lovely shop for a browse and a chat with our friendly staff for special gift inspiration.
We're always full of ideas - whether it's unique, handmade jewellery, mood-setting incense, lush wax melts (currently on offer - buy two, get a third free!), rose petals and other spell ingredients or the perfect date outfit.
Jewellery makes a great Valentine’s gift and we have lots of wonderful treasure in store and on this website, to suit every taste and budget.
Rose quartz, known as the stone of love, is great for self-worth, relationships, marriage, inner peace, gentle healing, unconditional love, calmness, serenity, relaxation, contentment and happiness. We have a wide range of unique rose quartz crystals and crystal jewellery in our shop, including tumble stones and quartz chips.
Whether you celebrate it or not, we wish you a fun and love-filled Valentine’s Day.
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