#I for one will be happy to add the gay soldiers just marrying eachother (or Valentine) to this story

[brunhielda]

In a similar but different vein, I understood that “valentines”, as in the little love notes everyone sent eachother, started as the all the wonderful letters Valentine received from his many friends while in jail. He would reply, signed “your Valentine.”

As a little (still unknown) Ace, this was fantastic news. It meant Valentine’s Day originally celebrated not just romantic, but platonic, and familial, and all kinds of love. I had an excuse to send my friends chocolate baked right into the original myth, and could tell everyone else they were being silly for feeling lonely without a date- can’t you see how many friends you have? They are important too!

As an adult I found a different version of the story. He fell in love with his jailer’s daughter, and while she couldn’t sneak down to see him, they could always sneak letters, again, signed “your Valentine.” No! Boo! Hiss! First version was better!

Guess which version people retell, and remember, and believe, the most?

I still maintain Valentine’s Day significantly improves when you celebrate ALL forms of love, no matter which version of the story was the original version, and will continue to educate people every year. My version is better and y’all can just deal with it.

for the first like 14 years of my life i thought that the story of saint valentine and valentines day were a celebration of a massive gay polyamorous marriage and let me tell you, i was sorely disappointed when i learned i had massively misunderstood that story