Sexual Symbolism: Valentine's Day

I’m fascinated with history, not so much with the events, but the people who make it. Most people celebrate hyped up holidays with real understanding of the origins of their own traditions and rituals. They lose the context of the time such things were created and the sub-context and layers of meaning behind their actions. Most of our holiday customs have evolved through many generations, some families adding their own special touches that sometimes move into common use. Though many holidays popular now are contrived, artificial things created by Hallmark, many have deep roots… not only in our history, but our very psyche.

As with many of our popular holidays, Valentine’s Day requisitioned by the Church and put into good Christian usage. However, the overtone shifted from one of purification and fertility to chaste Christian love. In pagan times, February 15th was the feast of Lupercalia was celebrated in the spring time. Our tradition included young men being given goatskins so that they could spank the young women! The reasoning was protection from curses, bad luck and infertility. Another tradition included a “Lover’s Lottery” where young men could choose the name of their sweetheart from a box of unattached maidens. Such traditions spread across the Roman empire all over Europe.

Of course such naughty rituals had no place in the world of the uptight Christians. As the world became beholden to the Church, Lupercalia was replaced with Saint Valentine’s Day. Valentine was considered the saint of lovers, brutally martyred when he continued marrying Christians when the Romans banned it. The Lover’s Lottery became the Saints Lottery. Considering such a thing immoral, the lover was replaced by a saint to study and emulate. Not quite as much fun, huh? But old traditions die hard and the common folk couldn’t quite forget their previous celebrations.

In Renaissance times, the Lover’s Lottery made a return becoming the Single’s Lottery. Chivalry was important and instead of wild, untamed lust, the new tradition of Courtly Love became the ideal. Goddess worship thrived within the framework of Courtly love with young men vowing chaste love and worship to the lady they idealized. They would create cards and poems to show their devotion. Gifts were given to impress the object of their affection. With the return of romantic love as the focus, the popularity of the holiday grew and evolved to the day of love we celebrate today.

From the gifts we give to the sentiments we express, the sexual symbolism is clear. The very focus of Valentine’s Day invites an opening of the heart to your lover… and and invitation to that same old naughtiness humanity (thankfully!) just can’t shake. The candy we give to our sweethearts shows generosity of spirit and entices the senses. The sweet sugar rush elevates the mood and makes her more receptive of her lover’s advances. Chocolate is considered an aphrodisiac adding a deeper meaning to the gift. The flowers we send are sexual symbols in themselves… pistols and stamens so resembling our own genitalia at times it startles the senses. Wine relaxes the inhibitions and encourages the resulting sensuality of the experience. A romantic Valentine’s dinner complete with all the traditional trappings becomes a lover’s feast culminating in a night spent wrapped together in silken sheets.

So now that you know why we’re celebrating, why not show your love and devotion to your lovely Mistresses by joining us for Love Fest on February 13th from midnight right on through to Valentine’s Day. For complete details, visit Mistress Madness and find out how you can win free minutes while sharing Valentine’s Eve with the objects of your affection. And for those of you joining in the Love Hunt… there’s one below for you. Comment away for your chance to win!

And while you’re anticipating 24 hours of pure phone sex Mistress pleasure at Love Fest, don’t forget to call your special Mistress and tell her just how much you love and appreciate all her tender care the other 364 days of the year!

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