Saturday, February 04, 2006
Valentine's Day is coming in ten days. That's when I begin to fantasise about receiving bouquets and cards and teddy bears and should I be really, really lucky, jewellery.
And I sound superficial.
So Valentine's Day, to the male specimen, is yet another gift-giving occasion, resulting in a hole in the wallet, and unwarranted shopping. Actually, I find it difficult to rebutt that. Today, nobody seems to know, or bother about why we celebrate Valentine's Day. Luckily, we still do nevertheless. So to express my gratitude, I'm going to spread the word on how this very special day came about:
History of Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is believed to have had its beginnings in a Roman festival called the Lupercalia. The early Roman men often wore the names of the girls who were to be their partners during the Lupercalia pinned to their sleeves. Even today we say that a man wears his heart upon his sleeve when he shows his interest in a young lady. Sometimes the couple exchanged presents. Ladies often received perfumed gloves or fine jewels. After the Lupercalia became a saint's day honouring Saint Valentine, some of the old customs were kept.
Later, people began to exchange valentine cards instead of presents. The Duke of Orleans is believed to have made the first valentine card. Imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415, he wrote love poems, or "valentines", to his wife in France. Sweethearts exchanged handmade cards during the 17th and 18th centuries. The French trimmed huge paper hearts with yards of real lace.
Valentine cards became popular in the United States during the Civil War. Elaborate cards trimmed with satin ribbons, mother-of-pearl ornaments, and spun glass were sold. Within a few years Valentine's Day received almost as much attention as Christmas.
Today's valentine cards are simpler. Children often exchange them with their schoolmates. They can easily be bought in stores, but it is good fun and a pleasant pastime to make them yourself.
(Taken from THE NEW BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE)
Yep, cool right? So although Valentine's day is mainly about the romance and all, it's still celebrated among friends. And now, I'm going to get really busy with making little valentine gift bags for most, or if my budget allows, all my friends in school. Let the fun begin.
♥ The lights faded at 8:47 pm
