For Ellen Bird, Valentine’s Day has gotten out of hand.

“It gets kind of annoying with the pink and red everywhere,” said Bird, a Weinberg sophomore. “They have ‘From, your cat’ valentines at Osco. It’s gone a bit too far.”

But Valentine’s Day hasn’t always been about cards, candy and mushy romance. The holiday began in the fifth century when the Catholic Church declared the day would commemorate the death of St. Valentine, one of three like-named saints recognized by the Catholic Church.

Since the holiday’s beginning, religious theorists and historians have debated which of the three saints the Church intended to recognize.

The most romantic of the three Valentine’s Day legends holds that the saint fell in love while in prison. Before his execution St. Valentine sent a letter to his lover signed, “From your Valentine,” which now is a commonly used signature for the day’s greetings.

Around 498, Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 St. Valentine’s Day in order to Christianize a pagan fertility festival.

But regardless of the holiday’s religious beginnings, many students said they feel Valentine’s Day has developed into a day of commercialism.

“Hallmark decided it was a chance to sell more flowers, cards and balloons,” said Allison Bruce, a Weinberg freshman.

Hallmark made its first Valentine’s Day greetings in 1913, and now about one billion cards are exchanged each year, according to the Greeting Card Association.

Valentine’s Day cards existed long before Hallmark. The first recorded valentine was written in 1415 by the Duke of Orleans from a cell in the Tower of London. It was to his wife and remains on display in the British Library in London.

Sociology Prof. Gary Fine said he thinks Valentine’s Day provides a necessary economic boost after the post-Christmas shopping dry spell.

“It provides a boost to the economy,” Fine said. “If you want to go out and help (President) Bush, go buy your lover a valentine.”

Still, Valentine’s Day holds a special place in the hearts of many hopeless romantics, Fine said.

“In a culture that values stable, long-term relationships, it provides a marker for those relationships and perhaps an indication of how the relationship is doing,” he said.

Valentine’s Day also is celebrated in other countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, France and Australia.