The Long Tradition of Complaining About Valentine’s Day

Every February, as hearts appear in store windows and chocolate fills the shelves, a familiar response follows: complaints about Valentine’s Day. For as long as the holiday has been celebrated, there have been people grumbling about it, and history suggests that tradition is almost as old as the holiday itself.

Even the origins of Valentine’s Day are debated. Some historians trace it back to Lupercalia, an ancient Roman festival held in mid-February, while others point to St. Valentine, a Christian martyr whose story became linked with love and devotion. Whatever its true beginnings, the day has been connected to romance for centuries. Something resembling the modern Valentine’s Day began to take shape in the mid-1800s, when cards, gifts, and public displays of affection became more common.

That shift didn’t sit well with everyone.

According to Time, Valentine’s Day cards moved from a small custom to a widespread trend in the 1840s, helped along by savvy stationers who saw a business opportunity. By 1847, Valentine’s cards were everywhere, and so were the critics. That year, the New York Daily Tribune published what is believed to be the first recorded complaint about Valentine’s Day. “There was a time when Valentine’s Day meant something,” the writer lamented, suggesting the holiday had already lost its original meaning.

The criticism had little effect. Valentine’s Day continued to grow, especially as businesses leaned into the celebration. In the 1860s, British chocolatier Cadbury introduced the now-iconic heart-shaped box of chocolates. In 1907, Hershey entered the scene with Kisses, securing its own place in Valentine’s Day history. With each new product and tradition, the holiday became more commercial, and the complaints only grew louder.

More than a century later, the pattern remains familiar. Some people embrace the flowers, cards, and candy, while others roll their eyes at the marketing and expectations. Yet history suggests one thing is certain: Valentine’s Day will go on, with or without approval.

So if you love the holiday, enjoy it without apology. And if you don’t, take comfort in knowing you’re part of a long-standing tradition. After all, complaints about Valentine’s Day didn’t slow it down in 1847, and they’re unlikely to do so now.