Should Christians Celebrate Valentine’s Day? A Biblical Perspective

What Are We Really Celebrating?

Every February 14, the world pauses for love. Restaurants fill up with couples, flowers pass from hand to hand, and handwritten notes carry words meant to last a lifetime. But beneath all the roses and ribbons, there is a question that lingers in the hearts of many believers: Should Christians celebrate Valentine’s Day?

For some, the day is a simple, joyful celebration of love—romantic, familial, and even the love shared between friends. For others, it is a commercialized distraction, an unnecessary indulgence in worldly traditions. There are also those who hesitate because of its origins, questioning whether a day with ties to both Christian martyrdom and pagan customs has a place in the life of a believer.

But before we answer, let’s step back and ask the deeper question: What are we truly celebrating?

A Day for More Than Just Couples

If we strip away the traditions, the chocolates, and the grand gestures, Valentine’s Day is, at its core, about love. And love is the very heart of the Christian faith.

Jesus gave us the greatest commandments centered on love:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39)

Love in Scripture is not confined to romance. It is the foundation of how we are called to live—as spouses, as parents, as friends, as neighbors, as the body of Christ. 

Love is sacrificial. Love is patient. Love is not measured in extravagant displays but in daily faithfulness, in small kindnesses, in the decision to put someone else before ourselves.

The world teaches us to treat love as a fleeting emotion, something that must be proven with expensive gifts or grand romantic gestures. But biblical love is steadfast, enduring, and deeply woven into God’s nature. 

If Valentine’s Day can be a moment to reflect on and express that kind of love, then perhaps the question is not should we celebrate, but how we celebrate.

Who Truly Owns This Day?

The idea that Valentine’s Day is purely secular is incomplete. The day has Christian roots, often linked to St. Valentine, a third-century martyr who was said to have secretly officiated marriages for couples forbidden to wed. 

While his full story is unclear, what remains is the legacy of a man who stood for love, commitment, and faith—themes that are deeply biblical.

Over time, Valentine’s Day has evolved, mixing Christian, historical, and cultural traditions. But does a holiday’s origin define its meaning for believers today? 

Consider how other widely celebrated holidays—such as Christmas and Easter—also have complex histories. Yet, we have reclaimed them as moments to honor God, to give, and to reflect on what is most sacred.

A Christ-centered Valentine’s Day is not about whether we celebrate, but about celebrating in a way that aligns with our faith. Love—whether romantic, familial, or brotherly—is worth honoring, and taking a day to reflect on the love we have been given and the love we are called to give can be deeply meaningful.

Celebrating Love in a Way That Honors God

If we are to celebrate, let us do so in a way that glorifies God. Valentine’s Day, like anything else, can be approached with intentionality—not as a day to conform to cultural expectations, but as an opportunity to express love in ways that matter.

Love is meant to be expressed—not just in words, but in action. A thoughtful gift is not materialism; it is an extension of care, a way of showing appreciation. 

In the same way that God’s love is reflected in His generosity toward us, our love can be reflected in how we give—our time, our kindness, and yes, sometimes even in a small token that reminds someone they are seen and valued.

For married couples, the day can be a time to renew commitment and gratitude, not just through gifts or gestures but through prayer, reflection, and an intentional focus on what it means to love one another as Christ loves the Church.

For those who are single, Valentine’s Day is still an opportunity to express love—toward family, toward friends, toward those who may feel unseen. A message of encouragement, an act of kindness, or even an invitation to share in community can reflect the kind of love that truly lasts.

The Answer That Changes Everything

Yes. Not because the world tells us to, but because love is worth celebrating.

Not in a way that mirrors the culture’s shallow idea of romance, but in a way that reflects the depth of biblical love—love that is patient, kind, sacrificial, enduring. A love that gives, that strengthens, that reminds others of their worth in God’s eyes.

Romans 12:10 tells us, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

If Valentine’s Day is a moment to practice that devotion, to offer gratitude, to bless others with generosity—then there is nothing in it that contradicts faith. There is only an opportunity to live it out more fully.

Love is not confined to a single day. But if we have a day that reminds us to express it—whether through words, gifts, or acts of kindness—why not embrace it? Why not take the chance to love as Christ has loved us?

💛 The Salt & Light Family