Legion still provides no connection whatsoever with sentimental love, appropriate lore has been embroidered in modern times to portray Valentine as a priest who refused an unattested law attributed to Roman Emperor Claudius II, allegedly ordering that young men remain single. The Emperor supposedly did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage cermonies for yound men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Valentine arrested and thrown in jail. In an embellishment to The Golden Legend provided by American Greetings, Inc. to History.com and widely repeated, on the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he wrote the first “Valentine” himself, addressed to a young girl variously identified as his beloved, as the jailer’s daughter whome he had befriended and healed, or both. It was a note that read “From your Valenine.”
Do you know who wrote the first Valentine?
Valentine’s Day Treats
Annie and Lisa are happy ladies. They got a tasty treat for Valentine’s Day.
Who is Cupid anyway?
He’s a 3,000 year-old baby with wings, he shoots love-tipped arrows into unsuspecting people, and his name is Cupid: The God of Love.
Cupid, in Roman mythology, the god of love. He was the son of Venus. His father sometimes was named as Mars, at other times as Jupiter or Mercury. Cupid is the Roman equivalent of the Greek god of love, Eros. He usually is pictured as a winged and naked infant, armed with a bow and arrows, and blind or blindfolded. A person whose heart was pierced by Cupid’s arrow was supposed to fall in love with someone.
Valentine’s Day in June?
In Brazil, the “Day of Enamored” or “Boyfriends’/Girlfriends” Day” is celebrated on June 12th, when couples exchange gifts, chocolates, cards and flower bouquets. This day was chosen probably because it is the day before the Festa junina’s Saint Anthony’s Day, know there as the marriage saint, when traditionally many single women perform popular rituals, called simpatias, in order to find a good husband or boyfriend.
The February 14th Valentine’s Day is not celebrated at all, mainly for cultural and commercial reasons, since it usually falls too little before or after Carnival, a major floating holiday in Brazil-long regarded as a holiday of sex and debauchery by many in the country – that can fall anywhere from early February to early March.
Valentine’s Day is about more than “Love”
In Mexico, Guatemala and in El Salvador, Valentine’s Day is known ad “Dia del Amor y la Amistad” (Day of Love and Friendship). Although it is similar to the United States’ version in may ways, it is also common to see people do “acts of appreciation” for their friends.
Maybe we here in the US should add that tradition to ours. What do you think?
Comercialization of Valentine’s Day
Since the 19th century, hand written notes have largely given way to mass-produced Valentine Cards. The mid-nineteenth century Valentine’s Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the United States to follow.
In the second half of the twentieth century, the practice of exchanging cards was extended to all manner of gifts in the US, usually from a man to a woman. Such gifts typically included roses, and chocolates packed in a red satin, heart-shaped box. In the 1980’s the diamond industry associated with generic platonic greet of ‘Happy Valentine’s Day.’ As a joke, Valentine’s Day is also referred to as “Singles Awareness Day.”
The rise of the Internet popularity at the turn of the millennium is creating, new traditions. Millions of people use, every year, digital means of creating and sending Valentine’s Day greeting messages such as e-card, love coupons or printable greeting cards.
Valentine’s Day is also one of the popular days of proposals.
Valentine’s Day celebration in the UK
Valentine’s Day has regional traditions in the United Kingdom.
In Norfolk, a character called ‘Jack’ Valentine knocks on the rear door of housed leaving sweets and presents for children. Although he was leaving treats, many children were scared of this mystical person.
In Wales, many people celebrate St. Dwynwen’s Day on January 25th instead or as well as St Valentine’s Day. The day commemorates St. Dwynwen, the patron saint of Welsh Lovers.
Valentine’s Day in France, Spain & Portugal
In France, a traditionally Catholic country, Valentine’s Day is known simply as “Saint Valentin”, and celebrated in much the same way as other western countries. I
In Spain Valentine’s Day is known as “SanValentin: and is celebrated the same way as in is the UK, although in Catalonia it is largely superseded by similar festivities of rose and/or book giving on La Diada de Sant Jordi (St George’s Day).
In Portugal it’s more commonly referred to as “Dia dos Namorador” (Boy/Girlfriend’s Day).
Valentine’s Day History
Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14th by many people throughout the world. In the English-speaking countries, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine’s cards, presenting flowers or offering confectionery- i.e. cakes.
The Holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is only 18 days away. Are you sending your Valentine a Tasty Treat of Love. I will deliver a cake with no delivery charge on Valentine’s Day to someone for you. Need orders early please.
