Valentine’s Day: History, Traditions & Safety Standards
The origins of Valentine’s Day stretch back more than 1,500 years, drawing from ancient Roman traditions, Christian history, and medieval romance. Today, as the holiday has become highly commercialized with love, chocolates, and heartfelt cards, the need for standards to assure the quality and safety of Valentine’s Day consumer products has become increasingly important.
Ancient Roman Roots of Valentine’s Day
Some historians link Valentine’s Day to Lupercalia, a Roman festival held from February 13-15th (this month was believed to mark the transitional beginning from winter to spring). Dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus, many of the festival celebrations were aimed at preparing the city and its citizens for a year of agricultural and cultural prosperity.
Lupercalia celebrated fertility, love, and the coming of spring. It involved violent, inhumane, and highly sexualized rituals, including men sacrificing a goat and a dog, and then whipping women with the hides of the animals they had just slain with the belief this would make women fertile.
In addition, Lupercalia included the pairing of couples through a lottery system. Unmarried women would write their names on clay tablets and place them into a large urn. Bachelors then took turns selecting a tablet, forming pairs that remained connected until the following year’s festival. Many of these pairings reportedly resulted in marriage, further reinforcing the festival’s association with romance and fertility.
Saint Valentine and the Christian Connection
Many also believe that Valentine’s Day is observed in honor the death of Saint Valentine’s death, a Christian priest in the 3rd century. Legend has it that he defied Emperor Claudius II, who forbade marriages for young soldiers, by marrying couples in secret. Claudius II ordered the priest to be imprisoned and executed.
While in prison, Valentine cured his jailer’s daughter from her blindness, and before his execution, he sent her a note signed “From your Valentine,” an expression still in use today. It is said his sentence was carried out on February 14, 270 AD. Father Valentine, the friend of sweethearts, became a martyr to love, the sanctity of marriage, and symbol of love.
Connection between Lupercalia and Saint Valentine
Lupercalia coincided with the feast day of St. Valentine, whose official day of remembrance was February 14th. Although the two observances developed independently, historians have suggested that a more plausible connection between the modern holiday and the Christian martyr exists—even if only by name.
Middle Ages and the Romanticism of Valentine’s Day
By the Middle Ages, Valentine’s Day became associated with romantic love, thanks in part to Chaucer’s poetry. In his poem “Parliament of Fowls,” Chaucer reinforced the tradition of courtly love with the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day by stating birds chose their mates on February 14, “For this was on Saint Valentine’s Day when every bird comes there to choose his mate.” By the 1400s, nobles inspired by Chaucer had begun writing poems that they called “valentines” to their love interests. Hence, it was at this time, handmade paper cards became the tokens du jour.
Modern Valentine’s Day Traditions: Governed by Affection and Standards
The enduring legacy of Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love and connection is now commonly expressed through cards and gifts. With the mass commercialization of chocolates, greeting cards, and flowers, there is an increasing need for standards to assure the quality, safety, and reliability of these consumer products.
Standards for Chocolate and Cocoa Products
Chocolate has several international standards that focus on sampling, testing, and sustainability:
- ISO 2292:2017—Cocoa beans – Sampling specifies general conditions relating to sampling for the determination of the quality of cocoa beans. It also gives requirements and recommendations on the procedure to be followed for sampling cocoa beans in bags and in bulk.
- ISO 2451:2017—Cocoa Beans – Specification and Quality Requirements specifies the requirements, classification, sampling, test methods, packaging and marking for cocoa beans.
- ISO 34101-2:20190—Sustainable and traceable cocoa – Part 2: Requirements for performance (related to economic, social and environmental aspects) specifies performance requirements related to economic, social and environmental aspects for sustainable cocoa bean production, including post-harvest processes, if applicable.
Standards for Card Materials and Paper Quality
For cards, standards focus mainly on paper quality, print safety, and recyclability:
- ISO 536:2019—Paper and board – Determination of grammage specifies a method for determining the grammage (i.e., the weight of paper or board per unit area) of paper and board. It assures consistent, high-quality card stock, guaranteeing that materials are sturdy enough to stand upright, hold folds, and feel premium.
- ISO 534:2011—Paper and board – Determination of thickness, density and specific volume defines methods for measuring the thickness, density, and specific volume of paper and board.
- ISO 9184-1:2023—Paper, board and pulps – Fiber furnish analysis – Part 1: General method specifies the general procedure for fiber furnish analysis of paper, board and pulps. It is applicable to all kinds of pulps and to most papers and boards, including those containing more than one kind of fiber, taking into account different pulping processes.
- ASTM D828-22—Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Paper and Paperboard Using Constant-Rate-of-Elongation Apparatus covers procedures for determining tensile properties of paper and paperboard. By testing tensile strength, stretch, and stiffness, manufacturers assure consistent quality, enabling cards to hold their shape and resist damage during transit.
Standards for Cut Flower Quality and Environmental Management
Standards for flowers often cover quality and environmental management:
- ASTM F1355-19e1: Standard Guide for Irradiation of Fresh Agricultural Produce as a Phytosanitary Treatment provides procedures for the radiation processing of fresh agricultural produce, for example, fruits, vegetables, and cut flowers, as a phytosanitary treatment. This guide is directed primarily toward the treatment needed to control regulated pests commonly associated with fresh agricultural produce.
- ISO 14001:2015—Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use specifies the requirements for an environmental management system that an organization can use to enhance its environmental performance. It applies to the cut flower industry by providing a framework for Environmental Management Systems (EMS) that reduce environmental impact in cultivation, transport, and waste management. It helps growers minimize chemical use, manage water resources, improve energy efficiency, and adhere to sustainability regulations, enhancing brand reputation and market access.
These standards for Valentine’s Day essentials—chocolate, cards, and flowers—assure quality, safety, and sustainability, thereby making this holiday a safe, enjoyable, and responsible celebration for people around the world.
You can find these standards on the ANSI Webstore.
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