Valentine's Day is celebrated across the country with people giving gifts of the sweet and fragrant sort.
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While the day is not officially a public holiday in Australia, it is an observance that sees restaurants and theatres booked out, and newsagents and shops stock their shelves with Valentine's Day gifts and merchandise.
However, the history of Valentines Day has long been shrouded in mystery.
February has long been celebrated as the month of romance and St Valentine's Day, as we know it, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.
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The most popularly believed origin story of Valentine's Day is that of the Christian Saint Valentine who was persecuted and interrogated by the Roman emperor Claudius II.
Claudius attempted to convert Saint Valentine to paganism to try to save his life, an offer Valentine refused.
It is said that Valentine performed a miracle healing on the daughter of his jailer and is said to have performed clandestine Christian weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry.
According to legend Saint Valentine is said to have cut hearts from parchment, giving them to the soldiers to remind them of god's love and to remain faithful, a possible origin of the widespread use of hearts on Saint Valentine's Day.
Today Valentine's Day is a tradition many use as a time to share a special moment with their loved ones and to take part in tradition and activities that show their love and appreciation for each other.
Picnics, chocolates, flowers, romantic meals and notices in the local newspaper are all things that people do to celebrate their love for each other.
Some people choose Valentine's Day as the day to propose to their partners while others set February 14 as their wedding day.
But Valentine's Day isn't just for those in love. Many organisations and charities hold special event around the day, such as Valentine's Day balls, to raise funds for worthy causes and to help those in need.
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