Love is in the air, and many folks throughout Athens have something to be excited about this Valentine's Day, whether it be the break from 20° weather or the presence of a loved one. Leading up to Saturday, many can be seen walking with a bouquet of flowers or an armful of presents.
The origins of Valentine’s Day is a topic of debate for many experts, due to conflicting opinions and a lack of concrete evidence. The day was believed to come from the ancient Roman festival, Lupercalia, which occurred in mid-February, according to History. Pope Gelasius wanted to stop the “debauchery” of these festivals and declared Feb. 14 a celebratory feast day for Saint Valentine, who was martyred 200 years before.
Once the day was created, it soon caught the attention of large companies in England looking to make a profit, offering decorative stationery and pre-made cards in stores. In 1840, the Penny Post was put into effect, pricing letter delivery at one penny, according to the British Pilgrimage Trust.
People were more likely to send a love letter for Valentine’s Day, due to the affordability. On the first day the Penny Post was made available, 112,000 letters were sent, more than three times the number of postings the year before, according to The Victorian Web.
Many Athens residents looked forward to spending the weekend with their best friends and partners, and everyone in between. Many people believe Valentine’s Day is the perfect day for sharing love, and see it as an important way to connect with people they value.
Georgia Conley, a senior studying communications, was working Saturday behind the bar at Broney’s Alumni Grill. Conley’s boyfriend, Max Cook, a junior studying geographic information systems, was also booked this Valentine’s Day, working a bartending shift at The C.I.
Conley said she also worked last Valentine’s Day, which fell on a Friday. She said the shift was fun and was busy throughout the night, and she appreciates the holiday as a whole.
“I get the marketing, gimmicky, grabby stuff about it,” Conley said. “I think it's a good day to just take to celebrate a loved one.”
Cook said Valentine’s Day is a good excuse to skip any hangouts, since the day is set aside for Conley. He was careful to state this is never a burden, and he enjoys every day he spends with her.
“It's a good day to celebrate love for someone else,” Cook said. “But I mean, I express love for everyone, and (Conley) every day. So I think that it’s sort of an interesting holiday, but it's fun.”
To celebrate their Valentine’s Day, since their night will be full of drink-pouring and tending to their guests, Cook and Conley recently stayed in a cabin, and decided it was the perfect time to celebrate their time spent together.
“We were like, ‘If we're going out to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, that's pretty perfect to celebrate early,’” Cook said. “I made the fire, she cooked the food. We just had a good quality time.”
Madison Klobucar, a senior studying biological science, said her Valentine’s Day plans were casual Saturday, as she planned a night out with her friends, which included dinner and a movie.
For the weekend after Valentine’s Day, Klobucar is visiting her boyfriend, who lives in Cleveland. Klobucar is in the pre-optometry club, which has a field trip planned to the Cleveland Psych Center during that time. She said this was convenient for her, and is planning to celebrate with him then.
“Cleveland has Little Italy right there, which is authentic Italian food and all these amazing Italian restaurants,” Klobucar said. “So we're definitely gonna go to one of our favorite restaurants.”
Klobucar expressed her appreciation for this holiday, as it gives her the chance to celebrate the special people in her life and make them feel “loved and appreciated.”
“It's a good holiday even beyond relationships with spouses and stuff,” Klobucar said. “I think it's a cute way to make others in your life feel loved, whether it's your grandma, your friend, I just love it.”
