By: Malarie Barineau
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching! Are you ready? According to the History Channel, the holiday itself dates back to the 5th century and originates from the Roman holiday, Lupercalia, and from a man named St. Valentine. If you want to learn more about the history behind Valentine’s Day check out the History Channel website at http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day.
The modern day holiday, celebrated on February 14th, is a day when individuals exchange items between loved ones and/or their secret valentines to show a token of one’s affection. Some Valentine gifts may include:
Cards- Flowers
- Jewelry
- Chocolates
- Candy
- Hugs, Kisses and much more!
As we grow up, it feels as though Valentine’s Day is celebrated more with dinner and wine (in case my husband reads this). But in the good ol’days, in Elementary School, Valentine’s Day was a big deal. Candy at school was the highlight of the week! Students would decorate brown paper lunch bags during home room for their desk. Once all the bags were decorated kids would drop candy in each bag which would then consist of binge eating the rest of the day.
Did you know: “Approximately 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.” (http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day/interactives/valentines-day-by-the-numbers)
They also cite that, sixty-two percent of adults say they celebrate this holiday. Of that sixty-two percent:
- 448 Million dollars are spent on candy the week before Valentine’s Day
- 58 Million pounds of chocolate is bought during Valentine’s Day Week
- 36 Million heart-shaped chocolate boxes are sold for the holiday
- 6 Million dollars spent is on sparkling wine
But as you age, the decorating of lunch bags ends and we may not give the holiday the same level of effort we did when we were younger. So what now?
What about showing the love to your work colleagues, association members, meeting attendees, customers or volunteer leadership? Some ideas might include:
- Sending an email to your membership thanking them for their support.
- Sending Valentine’s card or chocolates to your volunteers
- Posting on your social media accounts a special valentines message
- Creating a Valentine’s Day promotion offering a special discount.
Another example might be to do something memorable in your office. For example, last year our office had a ‘War of Roses” competition in honor of Valentine’s Day. This included a canned foods drive for a local charity and multiple team building exercises. It was a great way for our office to share our appreciation of one another and to help our community.
Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about giving a gift or candy; it’s about spending time with the people you care about and letting them know what they mean to you. Keep the Valentine’s Day spirit alive whether it is with a loved one, co-workers or pets. Do something special for them! Please share the love by posting ideas below as to how you celebrate. Happy early Valentine’s Day!
