2008 Woodie Awards
Symbols of Valentine's Day
by Sandi Tatum
Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: Features
For that special person in their life, men and women are buying roses, anything the color red and anything to do with hearts. Hearts cover the stores a month early and cardboard cupids are pointing their arrows at everyone who walks by. Why do we associate these symbols with Valentine's Day? Why is everything red?
Roses
The rose stands for love, beauty and passion. According to the St. Valentine's Day website, the rose has become a gift that means "I Love You." The demand for roses rises during Valentine's Day because the entire world wants to express their love with a rose.
Since society gives roses different meanings for different roses, one needs to be careful to whom they give a rose.
Hearts
During Valentine's Day, the heart is represented as having an arrow through the middle. There are a couple of theories on why this is. One of them is that it shows the heart is vulnerable. Heart shapes are used in many Valentine's Day merchandise, such as chocolate boxes, balloons, cards and chocolates. According to St. Valentine's Day, "Hearts symbolize love and giving someone a heart means to hand over one's existence to someone."
Cupid
Cupid is the son of the Roman goddess of love Venus. When Cupid shoots someone with an arrow, it does not kill them, it causes the person to fall in love. Cupid was also said to be the son of the Greek goddess, Eros. In both of these representations, Cupid is not represented as a chubby baby, as he's in our stores and on our cards. In mythology Cupid is actually represented as a young adult.
The color red
Everyone buys their love red roses, red cards, red boxes of chocolates and red stuffed animals. Everything associated with Valentine's Day is red to signify love and passion.
Whether these symbols started out having a purpose or they became symbols because of marketing, they are what we associate with Valentine's Day. Each of them has something to do with love and most of them are red.
Roses
The rose stands for love, beauty and passion. According to the St. Valentine's Day website, the rose has become a gift that means "I Love You." The demand for roses rises during Valentine's Day because the entire world wants to express their love with a rose.
Since society gives roses different meanings for different roses, one needs to be careful to whom they give a rose.
Hearts
During Valentine's Day, the heart is represented as having an arrow through the middle. There are a couple of theories on why this is. One of them is that it shows the heart is vulnerable. Heart shapes are used in many Valentine's Day merchandise, such as chocolate boxes, balloons, cards and chocolates. According to St. Valentine's Day, "Hearts symbolize love and giving someone a heart means to hand over one's existence to someone."
Cupid
Cupid is the son of the Roman goddess of love Venus. When Cupid shoots someone with an arrow, it does not kill them, it causes the person to fall in love. Cupid was also said to be the son of the Greek goddess, Eros. In both of these representations, Cupid is not represented as a chubby baby, as he's in our stores and on our cards. In mythology Cupid is actually represented as a young adult.
The color red
Everyone buys their love red roses, red cards, red boxes of chocolates and red stuffed animals. Everything associated with Valentine's Day is red to signify love and passion.
Whether these symbols started out having a purpose or they became symbols because of marketing, they are what we associate with Valentine's Day. Each of them has something to do with love and most of them are red.
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