"St. Valentine`s Day"

made by Usakova O.N.

St. Valentine’s Day is an important romantic holiday for millions people of all ages, races, and nationalities. It’s a celebration of love observed annually on February14.

The history of St. Valentine’s Day is rather dark and sad. In ancient Rome, many men had no desire to become soldiers. Emperor Claudius II ordered the execution of many males because of their strong attachments to women that prevented them from performing their military duties.

Valentine was a priest, he secretly performed weddings for the couples who we not allowed to be married.

 When Valentine’s actions were discovered, he was sentenced to death. In prison he fell in love with his jailer’s daughter who visited him during his confinement. Just before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From Your Valentine”. There are many other stories and legends about him.

Symbols of St. Valentine - a red rose Remember the meanings of roses! Red roses-Love and passion

Symbols of St. Valentine - a cupid A heart pierced by a Cupid's arrow means that when someone presents a heart, the person takes the risk of being rejected and feeling hurt. Piercing arrow therefore symbolizes death and vulnerability of love. Some people also believe that the heart and arrow symbolizes the uniting of male and a female.

Symbols of St. Valentine - a red heart The heart symbolizes love and giving someone a heart means to hand over one`s existence to someone.

Symbols of St. Valentine - love knots It represents love that will last forever. It doesn`t have a beginning and an end.

Symbols of St. Valentine Lace and Ribbons At that time when kings and knights went to battles their ladyloves presented laces to them. This is a delicate tradition.

Symbols of St. Valentine Lovebirds and doves It believed that birds found their mate on February 14.

Today, St. Valentine’s Day is popular in many countries. In different countries, these celebrations are different, because they incorporate the local customs and traditions.

Many Latin American countries know the holiday as a day of lovers or  a day of love and friendship. Though couples exchange flowers and chocolate on this day, the holiday's focus is also directed at showing gratitude to friends. In Japan, it's customary for just the women to give confections to the men in their lives, with the quality of the chocolate indicating their true feelings, according to Fortune.  

Valentine’s Day is a time when people in love express their feelings to those whom they love or adore. Some people give greeting cards, flowers, chocolates, perfumes or jewelry to their admirers or partners while others take their loved ones for a romantic dinner at a restaurant or even propose to get married.

St. Valentine’s Day is a good day for parties. The restaurants and clubs are decorated with red and pink paper hearts. Chocolate, candies and cookies are often cut in the shape of hearts.

People express their feelings in the form of sophisticated Valentine’s cards. These lovely valentines are recognized as the true symbol of the holiday.

Also Valentine’s cards can be pink or red-coloured and some of them can be heart-shaped. Some valentines are very fancy; they are decorated with ribbons, paper lace and images of cupids. A card can be different; it can be sentimental with love poetry, friendly or satirical.

Valentine`s Day Fun Facts - 145 million greeting cards are exchanged every year for Valentine's -Day. That's just in the U.S. alone, according to Hallmark!; - Teachers receive the most Valentine`s Day cards annually, followed by children, mothers and wives; - Parents receive 1 out of every 5 valentines; - 8 billion conversation hearts are manufactured each year; - 250 million roses are grown just for Valentine's Day!; - Women purchase 85% of all valentines; -About 3 % of pet owners will give Valentine`s Day gifts to their pets.

Quiz Quiz 1. When is Saint Valentine's day celebrated? - fourth of February - fourteenth of February - Forteenth of February - fortieth of February  2. Who was Valentine? - a jailer - a young soldier - an emperor - a priest 3. Where did he live? - in Rome - in Paris - in London - in Athens

4. What symbols are associated with Valentine`s day? 4. What symbols are associated with Valentine`s day? a white Rose a Heart a Cupid Lovebirds and Doves 5. Who receives the most Valentine`s Day cards? - teachers - wives - children - parents 6. How many roses are grown just for Valentine's Day? - 250 thousand - 8 billion - 250 million - 150 thousand

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