Valentine’s Day, with its sentimental cards and lover’s tokens, remains one of the most popular holidays celebrated in America today partly because it’s so sweet and old-fashioned. That’s the view of University of Oregon folklore specialist Daniel Wojcik, who observes, "It’s pretty easy to dismiss it as commercialism, but Valentine’s Day may fill some deeper need to address the lack of ritual in our lives. Often we don’t get the opportunity to show our emotions, and Valentine’s Day provides us with a ritualized way to express affection and renew relationships." Wojcik says some of the customs surrounding Valentine’s Day date back to Roman times–others have been traced to the Middle Ages. The holiday was neglected for a long time and then enjoyed a sudden revival during the 19th century. Americans have enthusiastically embraced the practices of exchanging romantic cards and sending gifts of roses and chocolate. "This one time a year we can celebrate the idea of love and revisit traditional courtship customs. We all like to get gifts and Valentine’s Day is an inexpensive and easy way to show affection," Wojcik says. SOURCE: Daniel Wojcik, UO associate professor of English and folklore, (541) 346-3946; e-mail dwojcik@oregon.uoregon.edu.

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