Most people believe that Valentine’s Day was created to sell things like candy, cards, and stuffed animals. What if I told you Ancient Romans used to celebrate Valentine’s Day?  Although they didn’t give each other gifts and cards, they did have a festival every February. This festival was called Lupercalia.  During this Lupercalia, Ancient Romans celebrated fertility and health. At the festival, they practiced many rituals. These rituals involved boys drawing girls names out of hats to be girlfriend and boyfriend for the festival. They also sacrificed goats to their legendary rulers, Romulus and Remus, after the sacrifice the Romans had a large feast. Now this wasn’t the only sign of Valentine’s Day in Ancient Rome. Later in the Roman Empire there was thought to be a Priest named Saint Valentine. Saint Valentine performed secret marriages against the wishes of the ruler, Emperor Claudius II. Claudius forbade marriages for any soldier. He thought marriage to be a distraction from war. Once Claudius found out about the secret marriages, he beheaded Saint Valentines. Although Saint Valentine died his legacy lives on. Later, Pope Gelasias declared February 14th as the day to remember St. Valentines. Valentine’s day is thought to be a combination of both Roman Holidays. So, what do you think ? Should we celebrate Valentines with feast, rituals, and secret marriages? Or should we stick to our teddys bears and chocolates?