The KIDOONS™ Network presents\rbrThe Story of The Original Valentines Day\rbr\rbr\rbrHi kids! Do you love kisses and hugs? Well theres a day every year just for love. its called Valentines Day!\rbr\rbrWe know that because there is an apostrophe before the letter s that the day belongs to someone named Valentine.\rbr\rbrBut who was this Valentine, and how did he get his own day?\rbr\rbrValentine is ually Saint Valentine.\rbr\rbrEurope was mostly Christian in the Middle Ages when our calendar was being created, and so many of the Christian saints have their own special Holy Days.\rbr\rbrHoly Day is where we get the word holiday! Get it?\rbr\rbrWhat is a saint?\rbr\rbrThe Pope of the Catholic Church may declare someone a saint who performed miracles, and who died for their faith.\rbr\rbrThe most popular story is that Valentine was originally a priest in Rome. The Roman Emperor Claudius II said it was a crime to be Christian. Valentine also secretly performed Christian marriage ceremonies for soldiers, because in Rome it was also a crime for soldiers to be married. This may be the original connection of Valentine and love.\rbr\rbrValentine was thrown in jail.\rbr\rbrWhat miracle did he perform?\rbr\rbrThey say his jailer had a daughter who was blind. Valentine cured her blindness, and she got her sight back. They say he sent a letter to the young lady from the jail signed Your Valentine. It may have been the original Valentines card!\rbr\rbrThe jailer converted to Christianity. Unfortunately, the Emperor did not, and he had Valentine stoned to death and beheaded.\rbr\rbrAnd so Saint Valentines Day began to be celebrated in February, as winter ends and the birds come back.\rbr\rbrIn the middle ages, writing love notes on February 14th became a romantic tradition. Some say the author Chaucer invented this tradition himself, when he wrote:\rbr\rbrFor this was sent on Seynt Valentynes day\rbrWhan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.\rbr\rbrThe popularity of pledging love on St. Valentines Day became very popular in Europe. People would send cards and write notes to people they liked or loved.\rbr\rbrWhen America was colonized, people from England and France moved to the New World.\rbr\rbrThey brought over with them the custom of sending Valentines. People made the cards themselves out of card and cloth and lace.\rbr\rbrThe first place you could buy mass-produced printed Valentines Day cards was in the United States.\rbr\rbrIn Chicago in 1847, a woman named Esther Howland made the cards. She was an artist who ran her fathers paper store. She had a staff who produced and sold beautiful lace-trimmed cards.\rbr\rbrSince then, sending Valentines Day cards has only become more and more popular.\rbr\rbrIn the more than 150 years since then, people have begun to give gifts on Valentines Day as well as cards.\rbr\rbrPopular Valentines Day gifts include roses. In modern times, men also sometimes give Valentines Day gifts of teddy bears, chocolates, and jewelry.\rbr\rbrIn the year 1969, the Catholic Church revised its calendar of saints, and dropped Valentines Day! Officially, February 14th is the day of Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius.\rbr\rbrIn another twist, over the years the most popular symbol of Valentines Day has become Cupid, the winged Roman god of love!\rbr\rbrBut even though it is no longer an official Holy day, more people than ever – of all faiths – enjoy Valentines Day.