Understanding Valentine's Day Deeper Through Symbols

The universal day of love on the 14th of February is also fraught with symbols that we know but seldom comprehend. How impassioned would gift-giving become if we knew the stories behind every symbol we use for this day! So, make your gestures of love this month more meaningful by knowing what these five Valentine's Day symbols represent

Hearts

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A heart symbol—no matter how disproportionately drawn—represents every person's vulnerable inside. Some attribute the heart to life itself, as this organ in the human body feeds parts their needed life blood. In Valentine's Day, the heart is the symbol that means romantic love in its warmest, purest form. To give someone your heart is equal to giving that person your life, something that is most precious to you. In modern times, the heart symbol is used on cards, candy boxes, and other love artifacts on Valentine's Day.

Cupids

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Blamed by those madly in love, cupids represent the idea of our romantic fall. In popular culture, it is said that this plump, golden-locked, blue-eyed child makes two people enamored with each other by shooting their hearts with an arrow. Cupids are a popular icon of Valentine's Day which are often drawn on greeting cards. But in a mythological sense, Cupid (Eros in Greek) is the son of Mercury (Hermes) and Venus (Athena); he was depicted as a young boy with a pair of wings and an arrow, which he uses to effect love on people, sometimes maliciously.

Red Roses

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There is perhaps no better way to objectify one's romantic love than a red rose. This Valentine's Day symbol may also represent compassion, peace, and friendship, but if you consider the anagram Eros of the flower's name, then it validates the claim that red roses—identified with goddesses of love Aphrodite and Athena—can never miscommunicate your intention for romance.

Birds

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The smallest species in the parrot family, known for their monogamous pair bonding, symbolise couples who are deeply in love with each other. Lovebirds are also known for their loyalty, as one left suddenly unpaired is believed to commit suicide. Apart from Lovebirds, doves and pigeons, which are symbolic of fidelity and purity, are also other avian species that are associated with love occasions like Valentine's Day and weddings.

Laces and knots

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Women in the past used to drop things before their target men in order to initiate a conversation. Laced handkerchiefs were the common objects used for this stratagem; a man picking up the handkerchief would often indicate his intention for the woman. Today, laces and handkerchiefs have become obsolete and been replaced by knots. The popular Celtic love knot symbolises eternal love for its unbroken loops regardless of the number of strands used. The true lover's knot, made from two strings, is another representation of love or deep romantic affection.

We use symbols to express meanings we cannot say with words. Valentine's Day, despite the many symbols connected to it, will still become as meaningful as it can be if spent with your beloved in the way both of you appreciate. Start the day with hugs, spend it together with kisses, and seal it with heartfelt I love you's.

See also 14 Fun Facts You Don't Know About Valentine's Day