WHAT IS VALENTINE'S DAY?
Valentine’s Day is most commonly associated with romantic love.
Millions and millions of Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year.
Gifts, flowers or simply a single red rose are sent with romantic messages to loved ones
Couples spend special time together.
Valentine’s Day legends
At the time of Valentine’s life, many Romans were converting to Christianity, but the then Emperor Claudius II was a pagan worshipper.
He created strict laws about what Christians were allowed to do.
St Valentine began to marry couples in secret Christian ceremonies.
This was the beginning of his reputation for believing in the importance of love.
As a symbol of romance and love, the heart shape was adopted
Today hearts, the colors red and pink, roses, images and statues of Cupids, and Cupids’ bows and arrows symbolize the feeling of romance and love on Valentine’s Day.
Cupid is usually portrayed as a small winged figure with a bow and arrow. In mythology, he uses his arrow to strike the hearts of people.
People who fall in love are sometimes said to be “struck by Cupid’s arrow”.
Valentine’s Day focuses on love, romance, appreciation and friendship
The origins of Valentine’s Day are not clear but many sources believe that it stems from the story of St Valentine.
The ancient ceremony included putting girls’ names in a box and letting the boys draw them out. Couples would then be paired off until the following year.
Eventually the custom of sending anonymous cards or messages to those whom one admired became the accepted way of celebrating Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is unfortunateley not a public holiday.
Restaurants will be busier than usual as many people go out for an evening with their spouse or partner.
Valentine’s Day is also a very popular date for weddings
The day became associated with romantic love in the Middle Ages in England.
This may have followed on from the Pagan fertility festivals that were held all over Europe as the winter came to an end.
Traditionally, lovers exchanged hand written notes.
Commercial cards became available in the mid nineteenth century.
According to one legend, a priest signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and, by some accounts, healed from blindness.
Other accounts hold that it was St. Valentine of Terni, a bishop, for whom the holiday was named, though it is possible the two saints were actually one person.
Another common legend states that St. Valentine defied the emperor’s orders and
secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war.
It is for this reason that his feast day is associated with love.
Valentines commonly depict Cupid, the Roman god of love, along with hearts, traditionally the seat of emotion.
Irrespective, the romantic meaning of Valentine’s Day has existed since the Middle Ages.
Not surprisingly, it gained popularity as a gift-giving event over the years.
WHEN IS VALENTINES DAY?
It is February 14th each year
IS IT A GOOD DAY TO PROPOSE?
It is the most romantic day of the year so it can be a great day to pop the question.
Do think about personality type when deciding on the proposal idea.
Ask yourself if a public or a private proposal would suit the personality type before you start planning things.
If someone hates to be the center of attention, a public proposal would likely mortify her.
BE MY VALENTINE!!!