Valentine’s Day has a plethora of symbols associated with it from the love heart to roses. Although these symbols are ubiquitous with holiday, their origins may not be so well known.
One of the most common Valentine’s Day practices is to give roses to the person you love. Roses, specifically red roses, are a symbol of romance, and can find their origins from Greek mythology. The goddess of love, Aphrodite, grew red roses for her love according to myth. Pink and white roses are also given in addition to red.
Doves are also a symbol of Valentine’s Day. In nature, doves monogamous, and male doves in particular are devoted to caring for their offsprings, so doves have become synonymous with family, love, and romantic commitment.
The love heart, or simply the heart, is perhaps the most well-known symbol. It is so long-standing that its origin is now debated. Some say the love heart’s distinctive shape comes from an ancient, now-extinct herb called silphium, which was shaped like the love heart we know today. Others believe the love heart is two anatomically correct hearts pressed against each other to symbolize that love is the literally joining of two hearts.
No matter what you do for Valentine’s Day, you are bound to see its symbols throughout the weeks leading up to the holiday. Now that you know the origins of some of these symbols, you can enjoy a new perspective on Valentine’s Day and even share these fun facts with the people you love.
Source: 1-800-Flowers.com
