The Aloha Spirit of Love: The History of Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day has long been associated with love and appreciation for those closest to us. But how did this tradition come to be? The story of Valentine's Day dates all the way back to the Roman Empire. The holiday was originally celebrated on February 15th as part of the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia. During this celebration, the names of single women were placed in a jar, and the men would choose a woman by drawing a name out of the jar. This was seen as a way to bring young people together in the spirit of love.

Fast-forward to the 4th century, when the Roman Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men as he felt that married men made poor soldiers. A Christian priest named Valentine defied the emperor's rule and continued to marry couples in secret. After he was discovered, Valentine was sentenced to death. Legend has it that while in prison, he wrote a letter to a young woman he had fallen in love with and signed it, “From your Valentine.”

Though the celebration of Valentine's Day has changed over the centuries, the spirit of love and appreciation for those closest to us remains. This spirit is in line with the core values of the Aloha Spirit, which is a philosophy of peace, love and respect. The spirit of Aloha is often expressed through acts of kindness, such as sending cards to loved ones on Valentine's Day. Whether it’s in the form of a card, a flower or a simple “I love you,” the Aloha Spirit is alive and well on Valentine's Day.