February 14 – Valentine’s Day in the UAE

Saint Valentine’s Day is not an official holiday in the UAE, but residents of the country sure do like to celebrate it with great pleasure. Just the same as people around the world do.

History of Saint Valentine’s Day

Saint Valentine’s Day is a very ancient holiday with roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The exact origins of its title are unknown, but there is a popular assumption that this is a modified Latin word «lupus» («wolf»), which reminds us about the legendary she-wolf who nursed Romulus and Remus. In those years this holiday was celebrated as a fertility rite. Circa 496, when Christianity became the main religion of Europe, Pope Gelasius I decided to make this holiday a Christian. Since then, people celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day, or simply Valentine’s Day on February 14th. But only in the 14th century, this day begins to be associated with love.

An interesting fact – it is still unknown exactly what exactly ‘St. Valentine’ means. In those ancient times, there were three saints sharing the title of Saint Valentine. For this reason, in 1969 the Catholic Church removed this day from its liturgical calendar. The holiday has ceased to be recognized by the Church but remained popular among the folk.

The tradition of giving each other valentine cards and other gifts appeared not so long ago. The first hand-made valentine cards were created in England in the 18th century and in the 19th-century manufacturers began mass-producing them. Later, other products related to Saint Valentine’s Day began to appear. Nowadays, this holiday is becoming more and more commercialized.

Saint Valentine’s Day in UAE

In many countries around the world, people try to give their loved ones at least a red rose and a greeting card during St. Valentine’s Day. These gifts, however, can be much more expensive, and as with many other things, Residents and nationals in UAE can provide a big bundle of examples. One of them happened in 2018 in Dubai, when 1000 roses were presented as a gift… Inside a red Ferrari 488. A red supercar with red roses – a real dream gift for Saint Valentine’s Day in Dubai, isn’t it?

Although this kind of presence might be a little bit over the top, even spending time with your loved one in Dubai or Abu Dhabi will already be a wonderful gift. You can find lots of places and venues to spend a great time and feel the love in the air. Of course, you can do that any other day, but Valentine’s Day will give it a very special feeling.

Overall, Saint Valentine’s Day is quite popular in the UAE, and a huge portion of both the ex-pat communities and local residents find it a great reason to show love and affection towards someone special. Major cities, like Dubai and Abu Dhabi are being decorated with flowers, balloons, and chocolates. Couples of all ages can be seen walking in public areas, like City Walk, The Beach, and La Mer, and having a romantic dinner in one of many venues, which organize special Valentine Deals this day.