智星论坛(IQSTAR BBS) » 外语角(IQ Exotica) » Saint Valentine's Day

查看完整版本: Saint Valentine's Day

loveflower 2007-2-14 03:00

Saint Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine's Day or Valentine's Day is on <a title="February 14" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_14">February 14</a>. It is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other; sending <a title="Greeting card" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeting_card">Valentine's cards</a>, candy, or donations to charities, often anonymously. It is very common to present <a title="Valentine's Day Flowers" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day_Flowers">flowers</a> on Valentine's Day. The holiday is named after two men, both Christian martyrs named <a title="Saint Valentine" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine">Valentine</a>. The day became associated with <a title="Romantic love" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romantic_love">romantic love</a> in the High <a title="Middle Ages" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ages">Middle Ages</a>, when the tradition of <a title="Courtly love" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtly_love">courtly love</a> flourished.The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged <a title="Cupid" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupid">Cupid</a>. Since the <a title="19th century" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century">19th century</a>, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced <a title="Greeting card" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeting_card">greeting cards</a>. The <a title="Greeting Card Association" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greeting_Card_Association">Greeting Card Association</a> estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind <a title="Christmas" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas">Christmas</a>. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.In the United States, the marketing of Valentine's Day has tagged it as a "<a title="Hallmark holiday" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallmark_holiday">Hallmark holiday</a>". A recent trend has been to refer to February 14 as <a title="Singles Awareness Day" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singles_Awareness_Day">Singles Awareness Day</a>.[attach]6289[/attach] 
[align=right][color=#000066][此贴子已经被作者于2007-2-14 7:36:07编辑过][/color][/align]

啊利 2007-2-14 05:09

Happy Saint Valentine's Day, loveflower. I hope you have found someone prepare breakfast for you in every morning.

丘灵 2007-2-14 06:30

Is the breakfast prepared on bed???? [em01][em01][em01] I wish Loveflower a happy Valentine's and someone who will prepare breakfast for you on bed! P.S. I want to make some chocolate this year... because I don't like tiramisu that much. Haha.

loveflower 2007-2-14 07:46

oh, thanks alot,ali and linger. ha, I am thinking to have breakfast everyday.and Wish you all are well served.[em07]

loveflower 2007-2-14 07:50

<h2>History</h2><a id="February_fertility_festivals" name="February_fertility_festivals"></a><h3>February fertility festivals</h3>On the <a title="Attic calendar" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attic_calendar">ancient Athens calendar</a>, the period between mid-January and mid-February was the month of <a title="Gamelion" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamelion">Gamelion</a>, dedicated to the sacred <a title="Marriage" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage">marriage</a> of <a title="Zeus" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeus">Zeus</a> and <a title="Hera" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hera">Hera</a>.In <a title="Ancient Rome" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome">Ancient Rome</a>, <a title="February 15" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15">February 15</a> was <a title="Lupercalia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupercalia">Lupercalia</a>. <a title="Plutarch" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutarch">Plutarch</a> wrote:<blockquote>Lupercalia, of which many write that it was anciently celebrated by shepherds, and has also some connection with the Arcadian Lycaea. At this time many of the noble youths and of the magistrates run up and down through the city naked, for sport and laughter striking those they meet with shaggy thongs. And many women of rank also purposely get in their way, and like children at school present their hands to be struck, believing that the pregnant will thus be helped in delivery, and the barren to pregnancy.<a class="external autonumber" title="http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Caesar*.html#61" href="http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Caesar*.html#61" rel="nofollow">[3]</a></blockquote>The word Lupercalia comes from lupus, or wolf, so the holiday may be connected with the legendary wolf that suckled <a title="Romulus and Remus" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romulus_and_Remus">Romulus and Remus</a>. Lupercalia was a festival local to the city of Rome. The more general Festival of <a title="Juno Februa" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_Februa">Juno Februa</a>, meaning "Juno the purifier" or "the chaste Juno," was celebrated on February 13-14. Pope <a title="Gelasius I" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelasius_I">Gelasius I</a> (492-496) abolished Lupercalia. Some historians argue that <a title="Candlemas" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candlemas">Candlemas</a> (then held on February 14, later moved to February 2) was promoted as its replacement, but this feast was already being celebrated in <a title="Jerusalem" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem">Jerusalem</a> by AD 381. The pope also declared in <a title="496" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/496">496</a> that the feast of St. Valentine would be on February 14.<a id="Chaucer.27s_love_birds" name="Chaucer.27s_love_birds"></a><h3>Chaucer's love birds</h3><div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="WIDTH: 182px;"><a class="internal" title="A portrait of English poet Geoffrey Chaucer by Thomas Hoccleve (1412). The earliest known link between Valentine's Day and romance is found in Chaucer's poetry." href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chaucer_Hoccleve.gif"><img class="thumbimage" height="126" alt="A portrait of English poet Geoffrey Chaucer by Thomas Hoccleve (1412). The earliest known link between Valentine's Day and romance is found in Chaucer's poetry." src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Chaucer_Hoccleve.gif/180px-Chaucer_Hoccleve.gif" width="180" longdesc="/wiki/Image:Chaucer_Hoccleve.gif"/></a>
<div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify" style="FLOAT: right;"><a class="internal" title="Enlarge" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chaucer_Hoccleve.gif"><img height="11" alt="" src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div>A portrait of English poet <a title="Geoffrey Chaucer" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer">Geoffrey Chaucer</a> by Thomas Hoccleve (1412). The earliest known link between Valentine's Day and romance is found in Chaucer's poetry.</div></div></div>The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in <a title="Parlement of Foules" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parlement_of_Foules">Parlement of Foules</a> (1382) by <a title="Geoffrey Chaucer" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer">Geoffrey Chaucer</a><a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine's_Day#_note-0">[1]</a>:<dl><dd><dl><dd><dl><dd><dl><dd>For this was on seynt Volantynys day
</dd><dd>Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese [chose] his make [mate]. </dd></dl></dd></dl></dd></dl></dd></dl>This poem was written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King <a title="Richard II of England" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_II_of_England">Richard II of England</a> to <a title="Anne of Bohemia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_of_Bohemia">Anne of Bohemia</a><a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.ucla.edu/spotlight/01/fac_0201_kelly.html" href="http://www.ucla.edu/spotlight/01/fac_0201_kelly.html" rel="nofollow">[4]</a>. A treaty providing for a marriage was signed on <a title="May 2" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_2">May 2</a>, 1381.<a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/chaucer/PF.html" href="http://www.wsu.edu/~delahoyd/chaucer/PF.html" rel="nofollow">[5]</a> (When they were married eight months later, he was 13 or 14. She was 14.)Chaucer's Parliament of Foules is generally set in a supposed context of an old tradition, in fact had no such tradition before Chaucer. The speculative explanation of sentimental customs, posing as historical fact, had their origins among eighteenth-century <a title="Antiquary" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiquary">antiquaries</a>, notably <a title="Alban Butler" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alban_Butler">Alban Butler</a>, the author of Butler's Lives of Saints, and have been perpetuated even by respectable modern scholars. Most notably, "the idea that Valentin'e Day customed perpetuated those of the Roman <a title="Lupercalia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupercalia">Lupercalia</a> has been accepted uncritically and repeated, in various forms, up to the present"<a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine's_Day#_note-1">[2]</a>On the liturgical calendar, May 2 is the saints' day for Valentine of Genoa. This St. Valentine was an early bishop of Genoa who died around AD 307<a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/day0502.htm" href="http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/day0502.htm" rel="nofollow">[6]</a><a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0502.htm" href="http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0502.htm" rel="nofollow">[7]</a>. Readers incorrectly assumed that Chaucer was referring to February 14 as Valentine's Day. However, mid-February is an unlikely time for birds to be mating in England.<a title="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine's_Day#_note-2">[3]</a>.<a id="Medieval_and_modern_times" name="Medieval_and_modern_times"></a><h3>Medieval and modern times</h3><div class="thumb tleft"><div class="thumbinner" style="WIDTH: 182px;"><a class="internal" title="Swedish calendar showing St Valentine's Day, February 14, 1712" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Feb1712.jpg"><img class="thumbimage" height="121" alt="Swedish calendar showing St Valentine's Day, February 14, 1712" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Feb1712.jpg/180px-Feb1712.jpg" width="180" longdesc="/wiki/Image:Feb1712.jpg"/></a>
<div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify" style="FLOAT: right;"><a class="internal" title="Enlarge" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Feb1712.jpg"><img height="11" alt="" src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div>Swedish calendar showing St Valentine's Day, February 14, 1712</div></div></div>Using the language of the law courts for the rituals of <a title="Courtly love" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtly_love">courtly love</a>, a "High Court of Love" was established in Paris on Valentine's Day in 1400. The court dealt with love contracts, betrayals, and violence against women. Judges were selected by women on the basis of a poetry reading.<a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/MULR/1999/8.html" href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/MULR/1999/8.html" rel="nofollow">[8]</a><a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Valentin/English/4/422.php3" href="http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Valentin/English/4/422.php3" rel="nofollow">[9]</a>The earliest surviving valentine dates from 1415. It is a poem written by <a title="Charles, Duke of Orleans" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles,_Duke_of_Orleans">Charles, Duke of Orleans</a> to his wife. At the time, the duke was being held in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt <a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/valentine/?page=history1" href="http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/valentine/?page=history1" rel="nofollow">[10]</a>.It is probable that the various legends about St. Valentine were invented during this period. Among these legends:<ul><li>On the evening before Valentine was to be martyred for being a <a title="Christianity" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity">Christian</a>, he passed a love note to his jailer's daughter that read, "From your Valentine." </li></ul><ul><li>During a ban on marriages of Roman soldiers by the Emperor <a title="Claudius II" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claudius_II">Claudius II</a>, St. Valentine secretly helped arrange marriages.<a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/golden169.htm" href="http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/golden169.htm" rel="nofollow">[11]</a>
</li></ul>Valentine's Day is mentioned by the character Ophelia in <a title="Hamlet" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet">Hamlet</a>: "Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's Day."In 1836, <a title="Relic" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relic">relics</a> of St. Valentine of Rome were donated by <a title="Pope Gregory XVI" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Gregory_XVI">Pope Gregory XVI</a> to the <a title="Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitefriar_Street_Carmelite_Church">Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church</a> in <a title="Dublin" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dublin">Dublin</a>, <a title="Ireland" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland">Ireland</a>. In the 1960s, the church was renovated and relics restored to prominence.<a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.carmelites.ie/Ireland/Whitefriar%20St/valentine.htm" href="http://www.carmelites.ie/Ireland/Whitefriar%20St/valentine.htm" rel="nofollow">[12]</a>In <a title="1969" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969">1969</a>, as part of a larger effort to pare down the number of saint days of purely legendary origin, the <a title="Catholic Church" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church">Church</a> removed St. Valentine's Day as an official holiday from its <a title="Traditional Catholic Calendar" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Catholic_Calendar">calendar</a>. February 14 is now dedicated only to <a title="Saint Cyril" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Cyril">Saint Cyril</a> and <a title="Saint Methodius" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Methodius">Saint Methodius</a>.<a id="Valentine.27s_Day_in_North_America" name="Valentine.27s_Day_in_North_America"></a><h3>Valentine's Day in North America</h3><div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="WIDTH: 182px;"><a class="internal" title="Valentine's Day postcard, circa 1910" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:BigPinkHeart.jpg"><img class="thumbimage" height="277" alt="Valentine's Day postcard, circa 1910" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/BigPinkHeart.jpg/180px-BigPinkHeart.jpg" width="180" longdesc="/wiki/Image:BigPinkHeart.jpg"/></a>
<div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify" style="FLOAT: right;"><a class="internal" title="Enlarge" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:BigPinkHeart.jpg"><img height="11" alt="" src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15"/></a></div>Valentine's Day postcard, circa 1910</div></div></div>Valentine's Day was probably imported into <a title="North America" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America">North America</a> in the <a title="19th century" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th_century">19th century</a> by <a title="Great Britain" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Britain">British</a> settlers. In the <a title="USA" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA">United States</a>, the first mass-produced valentines of embossed paper lace were produced and sold shortly after <a title="1847" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1847">1847</a> by <a title="Esther Howland" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esther_Howland">Esther Howland</a> (<a title="1828" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1828">1828</a>-<a title="1904" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904">1904</a>) of <a title="Worcester, Massachusetts" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcester,_Massachusetts">Worcester, Massachusetts</a>. Her father operated a large book and stationery store, and she took her inspiration from an English valentine she had received. Since <a title="2001" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001">2001</a>, the Greeting Card Association has been giving an annual "Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary."In the second half of the <a title="20th century" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_century">20th century</a>, the practice of exchanging cards was extended to all manners of gifts in the United States, usually from a man to a woman. Such gifts typically include <a title="Rose" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose">roses</a> and <a title="Chocolate" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate">chocolates</a>. In the <a title="1980s" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980s">1980s</a>, the <a title="Diamond" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond">diamond</a> industry began to promote Valentine's Day as an occasion for giving <a title="Jewelry" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewelry">jewelry</a>.The day has come to be associated with a generic <a title="Platonic love" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platonic_love">platonic</a> greeting of "Happy Valentine's Day."In some North American <a title="Elementary school" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elementary_school">elementary schools</a>, students are asked to give a Valentine card or small gift to everyone in the class. The greeting cards of these students often mention what they appreciate about each other.Some people see Valentine's Day as an opportunity to give to charities and help others.<a id="Valentine.27s_Day_and_its_equivalents_in_other_cultures" name="Valentine.27s_Day_and_its_equivalents_in_other_cultures"></a><h2>Valentine's Day and its equivalents in other cultures</h2>Thanks to a concentrated marketing effort, Valentine's Day has emerged in <a title="Japan" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan">Japan</a> and <a title="Korea" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea">Korea</a> as a day on which women, and less commonly men, give candy, chocolate or <a title="Flowers" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowers">flowers</a> to people they like. This has become an obligation for many women. Those who work in offices end up giving chocolates to all their male co-workers, sometimes at significant personal expense. This chocolate is known as giri-choko (義理チョコ), in Japan, from the words giri ("obligation") and choko, a common short version of chokorēto (チョコレート), meaning "chocolate". This contrasts with honmei-choko, which is given to a person someone loves or has a strong relationship with. Friends, especially girls, exchange chocolate that is referred to as tomo-choko (友チョコ); tomo means "friend" in Japanese.By a further marketing effort, a reciprocal day called <a title="White Day" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Day">White Day</a> has emerged. On <a title="March 14" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_14">March 14</a>, men are expected to return the favour to those who gave them chocolates on Valentine's Day. Many men, however, give only to their girlfriends. Originally, the return gift was supposed to be white chocolate or marshmallows; hence "White Day". However, men have taken the name to a different meaning and <a title="Lingerie" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingerie">lingerie</a> has become a common gift.In <a title="Korea" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea">Korea</a>, there is an additional <a title="Black Day" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Day">Black Day</a> on April 14, when males who did not receive anything for Valentine's Day gather together to eat <a title="Jajangmyun" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jajangmyun">Jajangmyun</a> (Chinese-style noodles in black sauce). In South Korea, there is also <a title="Pepero Day" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepero_Day">Pepero Day</a>, celebrated on November 11, during which young couples give each other romantic gifts.In <a title="Chinese Culture" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Culture">Chinese Culture</a>, there is a similar counterpart of the Valentine's Day. It is called "<a title="The Night of Sevens" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Night_of_Sevens">The Night of Sevens</a>", on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar; the last one being <a title="August 30" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_30">August 30</a>, <a title="2006" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006">2006</a>. A slightly different version of this day is celebrated in Japan as <a title="Tanabata" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanabata">Tanabata</a>, on July 7th on the solar calendar.In <a title="Persian Culture" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Culture">Persian Culture</a> (<a title="Iran" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran">Iran</a>) this popular date is discreetly celebrated by most lovers despite the disapproval of such occasion by the hardline Islamic government as a copycat of the West.[<a title="Wikipedia:Citing sources" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources">citation needed</a>]According to <a title="Jewish" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish">Jewish</a> tradition the 15th day of the month of Av - <a title="Tu B'Av" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_B'Av">Tu B'Av</a> (usually late August) is the festival of love (hag haahava). In ancient times girls would wear white dresses and dance in the vineyards, where the boys would be waiting for them (<a title="Mishna" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mishna">Mishna</a> Taanith end of Chapter 4). In modern Israeli culture this is a popular day to pronounce love, propose marriage and give gifts like cards or flowers.In <a title="Brazil" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil">Brazil</a>, the Dia dos Namorados (lit. "Day of the enamored", or "Boyfriend's/Girlfriend's Day") is celebrated on <a title="June 12" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_12">June 12</a>, when couples exchange gifts such as chocolates, cards and usually a flower bouquet. This day is chosen probably because it is the day before the <a title="Anthony of Padua" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_of_Padua">Saint Anthony</a>'s day, known there as the marriage saint, when many single women perform popular rituals in order to find a good husband (or nowadays, a boyfriend).In <a title="Colombia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia">Colombia</a>, the Día del amor y la amistad (lit. "Love and Friendship Day") is celebrated on the third Friday and Saturday in September, because of commercial issues. In this country the Amigo secreto ("Secret friend") tradition is quite popular, which consists of randomly assigning to each participant a recipient who is to be given an anonymous gift (similar to the Christmas tradition of <a title="Secret Santa" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Santa">Secret Santa</a>).In <a title="Mexico" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico">Mexico</a>, the Día del amor y la amistad is celebrated similar to Colombia but this one falls on <a title="February 14" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_14">February 14</a>.In <a title="Finland" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland">Finland</a>, Valentine's Day is called Ystävänpäivä which translates into "Friend's day". As the name says, this day is more about remembering your friends than your loved ones.In <a title="Slovenia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovenia">Slovenia</a>, a proverb says that "St Valentine brings the keys of roots," so on February 14, plants and flowers start to grow. Valentine's Day has been celebrated as the day when the first works in the vineyards and on the fields commence. It is also said that birds propose to each other or marry on that day. Nevertheless, it has only recently been celebrated as the day of love. The day of love is traditionally <a title="March 12" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_12">12 March</a>, the <a title="Saint Gregory" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Gregory">Saint Gregory</a>'s day. Another proverb says "Valentin - prvi spomladin" ("Valentine — first saint of spring"), as in some places (especially <a title="White Carniola" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Carniola">White Carniola</a>) Saint Valentine marks the beginning of spring.In <a title="Romania" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romania">Romania</a>, the traditional holiday for lovers is <a title="Dragobete" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragobete">Dragobete</a>, which is celebrated on <a title="February 24" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_24">February 24</a>. It is named after a character from Romanian folklore who was supposed to be the son of <a title="Baba Dochia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Dochia">Baba Dochia</a>. Part of his name is the word drag ("dear"), which can also be found in the word dragoste ("love"). In recent years, Romania has also started celebrating Valentine's Day, despite already having Dragobete as a traditional holiday. This has drawn backlash from many groups, particularly nationalist organizations like <a title="Noua Dreapta" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noua_Dreapta">Noua Dreaptǎ</a>, who condemn Valentine's Day for being superficial, commercialist and imported Western <a title="Kitsch" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsch">kitsch</a>.In <a title="Denmark" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark">Denmark</a>, <a title="Norway" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway">Norway</a> & <a title="Sweden" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden">Sweden</a> Valentines Day is known as Valentinsdag. It is not celebrated to a large extent, but some people take time to be romantic with their partner, or send a card to a secret love.Valentines Day also has regional traditions in the UK. In Norfolk a character called 'Jack' Valentine knocks on the rear door of houses leaving sweets and presents for children. Although leavings treats, many children were scared of this mystical person.In Asia, people celebrate it with a candle-light dinner

鱼儿 2007-2-14 10:13

Enjoy your valentines, loveflower~~~

鱼儿 2007-2-14 10:58

<h1>Valentine Traditions</h1>Hundreds of years ago in England, many children dressed up as adults on Valentine's Day. They went singing from home to home. One verse they sang was: Good morning to you, valentine; Curl your locks as I do mine --- Two before and three behind. Good morning to you, valentine. In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and <a href="http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=488&awinaffid=60902&p=http://www.bunches.co.uk/category.php?type=m&id=12">given as gifts</a> on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!" In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling. In some countries, a young woman may receive a <a href="http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?awinmid=488&awinaffid=60902&p=http://www.bunches.co.uk/details.php?id=138">gift</a> of clothing from a young man. If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him. Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire. A love seat is a wide chair. It was first made to seat one woman and her wide dress. Later, the love seat or courting seat had two sections, often in an S-shape. In this way, a couple could sit together -- but not too closely! Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off. Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind. Count the seeds that remain on the stem. That is the number of children you will have. If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.

页: [1]

查看完整版本: Saint Valentine's Day