How to Prove Valentine's Day Exists

Contrary to popular misconceptions, Valentine's Day does have a history that pre-dates the advent of greeting card companies. Nonetheless, many people remain skeptical about the origins of this supposed lovers' holiday. Next Valentine's Day you might want to be prepared with some information with which to counter any would-be detractors.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Learn the history of Valentine's Day. This February lovers' holiday has its roots in a pre-Christian Roman holiday called Lupercalia that was dedicated to the god Lupercus. As part of the festivities, young men would draw the names of young women from among several and these pairs were linked, albeit ambiguously, for the coming year.
2. Study the various legends of St. Valentine. There were multiple famous and infamous Valentines in early Christian Rome, and several of them were martyred. While it is not clear exactly which of them the holiday commemorates, folklore and legend abound with stories about the life and death of the supposed "real" St. Valentine. Familiarity with these tales will add both color and authority to your argument.
3. Know when and who declared a day in honor of St. Valentine. It was the Roman emperor Gelasius who first proclaimed the day for Valentine in the late 5th Century.
4. Prepare to quote literature. There is nothing like printed text to convince people that something is the truth. Valentine's Day is mentioned during the Renaissance by Shakespeare and by the poet John Donne, to name a few. Furthermore, Chaucer pre-dated both of them by referring to Valentine's Day in the Middle Ages.