Valentine’s day

VALENTINE’S DAY IS the day of love. On February 14, more than any other day of the year, romantic couples shower their better half with gifts and tokens of appreciate

Saint Valentine.
The earliest possible origin story of Valentine’s Day is the pagan holiday Lupercalia Occurring for centuries in the middle of February, the holiday celebrates fertility. Men would strip naked and sacrifice a goat and dog. Young boys would then take strips of hide from the sacrificed animals and use it to whip young women, to promote fertility.

Lupercalia was popular and one of the few pagan holidays still celebrated 150 years after Christianity was legalized in the Roman Empire.
When Pope Gelasius came to power in the late fifth century he put an end to Lupercalia. Soon after, the Catholic church declared February 14 to be a day of feasts to celebrate the martyred Saint Valentine.

The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Still others insist that it was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, who was the true namesake of the holiday. He, too, was beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome

FIRST VALENTINE'S DAY
The first Valentine's Day card dates to 1415 when the Duke of Orléans sent a card to his wife while he was he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. In the United States, Valentine’s Day cards didn’t gain popularity until the Revolutionary War, when people took up the habit of writing handwritten notes to their sweethearts. It was only in the early 1900s that cards were mass produced for the holiday.

VALENTINE’S DAY TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD
Check out the interesting Valentine’s day traditions around the world. This day isn’t all about flowers and chocolates around the world. Different countries celebrate it in their own way.

SOUTH KOREA
The romantic couples in South Korea celebrate the day of love on the 14th of each month. Yeah, you read it right! “the day of roses” is celebrated in May, “the day of kisses” is celebrated in June, “the day of hugs in December” and single people celebrate “the black day” in April by eating black noodles. It is a complete different Valentine’s Day traditions around the world.

GHANA
In Ghana, Feb 14 is celebrated as the “National Chocolate Day.” It is a step that the Ghana government took in 2007 to increase tourism in the country. Ghana is among the largest cocoa producing countries in the world. On Feb 14, one can attend performances, music events, and restaurants have themed menus for the special day.

WALES
In Wales, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the most unique way. The country celebrates its day of love on Jan 25, which is called the “day of San Dwynwen.” On the day, lovers exchange unique and beautifully handcrafted wooden spoons to each other. This tradition is being practiced since the 16th century.

MIAO
In Miao, South West China, “Sisters’ Meal” festival is celebrated on 15th March. During the festival, women wear silver accessories and beautiful dresses, that are probably the most gorgeous Valentine’s Day customs around the world. They cook various dishes of coloured rice that’s offered on silk fabric to young men walking on roads. The destiny of the lovelies inside the object found in the chosen rice. Two chopsticks mean love and a clove of garlic means the love is over before it has even begun.

In conclusion, all countries have their own ways of celebrating. However, one thing remains unchanged. Everyone wants to talk about love on this day. People want to Express their love through various items, gifts, or actions. The most cheerful people decorate their rooms or workplaces with heart-shaped balloons and other symbolic items. It's great that there is at least one day a year when people can freely talk about their feelings and arrange romantic dates.