Valentine's Day History

Valentine’s Day is best known as a celebration of love in all its forms. Pink hearts, red roses, and cute greeting cards adorn every surface you see. What many people don’t realize is that the modern Valentine’s Day celebration arose from a religious holiday.

St. Valentine’s Day was originally celebrated as a religious feast day in honor of early Christian martyrs. Three martyrs named Valentine were honored: a priest in Rome, the persecuted bishop of Interamna (a town in central Italy), and a saint martyred in Africa. This saint’s day was celebrated throughout Christendom, although it was removed from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in 1969.

The origin of Valentine’s Day as a holiday for lovers began with Geoffrey Chaucer in his 1382 poem “Parlement of Foules.” Chaucer wrote, “For this was on Saint Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate,” and the modern romantic holiday was born. William Shakespeare and other writers mentioned Valentine’s Day as a day of love.

Valentine’s Day as we know it came about in the early 19th century. In Victorian England, printers began manufacturing small numbers of cards with romantic verses, lace, ribbons, and other frills. Anonymous Valentine’s Day card were a popular way for young lovers to exchange romantic sentiments in an otherwise prudish time. As the 19th century progressed, printers began mass manufacturing Valentine’s Day cards. People in the United States give an estimated 190 million valentines every year, and up to one billion if you count children exchanging cards at school! With the rise of the Internet, Valentine’s Day e-cards have become a popular mode of communication, with millions of e-cards sent each year.

The other items associated with Valentine’s Day include chocolate and flowers. The tradition of giving chocolates has been around for decades, and Richard Cadbury created the first box of Valentine’s Day chocolates nearly 150 years ago. Today, purchases of chocolate total over $1 billion in the United States alone, with 35 million heart-shaped boxes sold each year. Loved ones also exchange flowers, with red roses being associated with Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. On Valentine’s Day itself, florists sell nearly 200 million stems of roses.

Although many people dismiss Valentine’s Day as a commercialized “Hallmark holiday,” it is beloved to couples and romantics across the United States and other countries. The team at Yazdani Dentel wants to remind all patients that no matter what your celebratory plans, February 14th can be a wonderful day to celebrate the loved ones in your life. Happy Valentine’s Day!

What PatientsAre Saying

“Dr. Milan Yazdani has been our family dentist since 1998. During our first visit, I recall being impressed with his knowledge, skill and genuine regard and conscientiousness to create a trusting and caring environment for patients; which has consistently been our reality over the past 19 years. Dr. Yazdani has partnered with us to provide the best dental are available, and we consider ourselves fortunate that he chose to locate his practice in Aurora. I find that the special interest and consideration that Dr. Yazdani has for his patients exceeded expectations and is welcomely appreciated.”

~ Nadia C.

“Myself and my now adult children have been Dr. Yazdani’s patients for 17 years! He and his staff are customer focused. They are professional, welcoming, courteous and experts in their field. Appointments are always on time and the facility is very clean. We actually look forward to our dental visits! Our expectations are met each and every time. Thanks Dr. Yazdani and crew!”

~ Eva C.

“My family and I have been patients of Dr. Yazdani for 15 years now. The clinic itself has state of the art technology and the friendly staff are always there to greet you with a smile. Dr. Yazdani cares for his patients; he is very pleasant and always explains what he is doing. Our appointments are always on schedule and if there’s ever an emergency, they try to accommodate you in every way possible.”

~ Susan R.

“Dr. Milan Yazdani has been my dentist for over 23 years, and my wife and I will continue to see Dr. Yazdani for as long as he practices, as he is an excellent dentist and has provided outstanding services. My wife and I have known his staff for many years and they are professional, courteous, helpful and enjoyable to deal with. Dr. Yazdani has taken a personal interest in our dental health and has provided a lot of good advice in maintaining our oral hygiene. We always look forward to seeing Dr. Yazdani for our scheduled appointments.”

~ Rob and Mary

“Our family has been coming to Dr. Milan Yazdani for dental care since he first opened his practice in Aurora. We have been to many dentists over the years, and have found Dr. Yazdani to excel them all in his professionalism and knowledge, his consultative, caring and sensitive approach, and we find his entire team to be friendly, flexible, professional, knowledgeable and efficient.”

~ Pat M. and Peter S.

“The Yazdani Dental office has serviced my family for over 20 years. My children, now young adults, have received the best care from a staff that has, for the most part, remained intact all this time. Their manner is friendly, courteous and professional. I highly recommend them!”

~ Gord D.

“On my first appointment with Dr. Yazdani, I immediately noticed how welcoming everyone was. The secretary, Lina, was very personable and kind. Dr. Yazdani was very thorough and professional, and I felt very valued as a patient. His staff is amazing and they are always very friendly. Six years later, my whole family frequents the office and I highly recommend him to anyone that is looking for a great dentist.”

~ Natasha V.

“I have now been cared for by Dr. Yazdani and his capable staff for a number of years. Previously dental visits were a cause for reluctance and discomfort - not so with Dr. Yazdani and staff. Visits are pleasant and efficient with minimal and infrequent discomfort. Couldn’t recommend Yazdani Dental any higher!”

~ John G.

“Dr. Yazdani is an excellent dentist who main priority is making sure his patients are comfortable and getting the best dentistry he can offer. The staff is very accommodating and friendly; the office is always very clean.  Dr. Yazdani has been my dentist for 13 years and I would highly recommend hi to all my friends and family.”

~ Rebecca G.

“I’ve been a patient of Dr. Milan Yazdani for a number of years. He’s always been very conscientious whether he's doing a tooth extraction, or filing a cavity. He never makes you feel nervous. His dental hygienists have been helpful with home dental care instructions. The receptionist greets you cheerfully and makes you feel relaxed.  If you are looking for an exceptional dentist, I would highly recommend Dr. Yazdani.”

~ Gareth J.

“We have patients of Dr. Yazdani for 20 years, and have been extremely happy with him and his whole team!”

~ Christina, Bill, Mary Anne, and Beth
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