Valentine's Day: Glorious, Notorious, . . . Ethical?

CRS Ethical Trade helps you bring justice to the marketplace. Photo courtesy Mata Traders

Should we feel a little uncomfortable that a day dedicated to love and friendship is so closely associated with sinister deeds?

St. Valentine of Rome and St. Valentine of Terni were both martyred for their faithful following of God’s call for us to love one another. Each is widely recognized as the inspiration of St. Valentine’s Day. At the opposite end of the love spectrum lies the notorious 1929 St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, when seven men were murdered in a Chicago garage by members of a rival gang. (Rumor has it they were all involved in extremely unethical trade.)

We side with the saints. And one of our favorite ways to do that on Valentine’s Day is with ethically sourced and produced gifts from our wonderful partners.

[Tweet "Better than candy hearts: #ValentinesDay gifts from @CatholicRelief Ethical Trade partners."]

Bookmark the CRS Ethical Trade Shopping Guide, and use it for purchases that make the world a better place.

Catholic Relief Services Ethical Trade celebrates the dignity of work while improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable. When you buy fair trade, you help create a better world.

Our partners bring fair prices, safer working conditions and environmentally sustainable practices to poor and disadvantaged communities. Part of every purchase goes to the CRS Fair Trade Fund, which invests in CRS projects around the world. We’re helping farmers adapt to climate change, improving access to markets, and supporting education and advocacy in the United States.

Try putting all that on a candy heart.

Visit our ethical trade shopping guide to select gifts that express your love and your commitment to a just world.

Valentine’s Day is grounded in supreme acts of sacrificial love. Let it inspire us to give gifts that express our love and make a difference.