February. The new year is broken in and the long month of January with all of its thirty one days and post-holiday chaos has been defeated. Springtime is right around the corner, bringing with it the promise of flowers and warmer weather.
And of course, St Valentine’s day 2024, falling midweek on Wednesday 14/02/24.
Four years on from the pandemic of 2020, we return again to a different and changed world. But even in this different and changed world some things remain unchanged, still printed into every calendar, reminding us to go out, live, and celebrate.
While some might regard this tradition as worn down and borderline defunct, there are always reasons to celebrate. It’s important when we’ve barely escaped the harshness of winter to find light in our dark nights, and find reasons to celebrate those we love and cherish.
The history of St Valentine’s is a tangle of mythos, stories and legends, which grew and changed for many years before it formed into the holiday we know today.
The legend has it that St Valentine himself was arrested in the third century for performing marriages between Christian soldiers of the Roman military and their lovers, who were forbidden to wed by the Roman emperor.
However the history is mismatched with tall tales and rumours, so it’s difficult to know the real truths. There are many martyrs associated with the name Valentine, it was a common name for those who ministered Christianity at a time of great persecution across ancient europe.
Whether Saint Valentine was a simple Christian missionary, a saintly healer capable of giving sight to the blind daughter of his jailor, or the unison of many who died in the name of Christendom, we can not know for certain. The evolutionary journey of this holiday goes much further back and even its namesake.
As often happens when cultures grow and collide, St Valentine’s sits only a day apart from an even more ancient holiday. A holiday which is significant in its ties to the legend of Rome itself.
Lupercalia was a celebration of Lupercus, the Lycaean god, with the head of a man and the hind of a wolf. Associated with cleansing, springtime, rites of passage, fertility, and the tale of Romulus and Remus–the very foundation of Rome itself.
Though it may have been Christened in much the same way as many ancient practices. The spirit of this springtime festivity continues to echo through time. Much like the nature which surrounds us, humans too fall in step with the movement of the earth and its seasons.
The date of the 14th of February is a marker. Spring will soon be here, hold your loved ones close.
Into the 21st century we no longer think of Valentine's Day as a saintly holiday or a naked Lycaean god fertility rite, but as an opportunity for gift giving, dinner dates, and a more intimate, romantic celebration of our dear ones.
For some of us Valentine's Day can feel like a perennial challenge of finding and choosing a gift with love and special meaning. Chocolate hearts and roses can feel old fashioned and temporary in our gestures of love.
Here at Lithobee we’ve curated a selection of our finest love related prints, for love in all of its many shapes and sizes. From line art drawings and meaningful words to celebrations of LGBT romance and cute cartoons. A more permanent gesture; art you can hang on your walls and be reminded for more than a handful of days of the special connection you share. Be it a Valentine's gift for your wife, husband, or partner, there is something for everyone here.
Sometimes we know what words to say but when you don’t we are here to offer you a selection of thoughtful gifts to say it for you.
Browse our Valentine’s Day collection now, and find the perfect gift to share your feelings.
