When Saint Valentine, a priest who defied Claudius' orders and married couples in secret, was b
eaten and beheaded on February 14th for his actions, people began to celebrate the day in his memory as Saint Valentine's Day, a day of love in which tokens of affection are exchanged.
Today, Saint Valentine's Day is s
till celebrated around the world. While traditions vary, the main theme for the day is still the expression of love and the exchange of tokens of affection.
In modern Italy, Valentine's Day is a day celebrated between lovers. Sweethearts exchange gifts such as chocolates, flowers or jewelry, and give each other Valentine's Day cards.
In the rest of the Western Hemisphere the day is celebrated much the same - lovers give each other cards and gifts, and gifts are also given to family members and friends.
In the East, Valentine's Day celebrations take place with a twist. In South Korea and Japan, for example, only the girls observe the day by giving gifts, traditionally chocolate or sweets, to boys.
In America, the celebration of Valentine's Day began during the 1700s with men and women exchanging elegant love poems and Valentine verses written on decorative paper. In the 1830s, Esther Howland, the daughter of a Worcester, Mass., stationer, established a business selling her own Valentine creations. During the Victorian Era, Valentines became less elegant and more extravagant. The poems became more comical and satirical, poking fun at teachers and old maids. Over the past century, the day has come to be celebrated not just through the exchange of Valentines, but through giving candy, sweets and gifts to loved ones.
eaten and beheaded on February 14th for his actions, people began to celebrate the day in his memory as Saint Valentine's Day, a day of love in which tokens of affection are exchanged.Today, Saint Valentine's Day is s
till celebrated around the world. While traditions vary, the main theme for the day is still the expression of love and the exchange of tokens of affection.In modern Italy, Valentine's Day is a day celebrated between lovers. Sweethearts exchange gifts such as chocolates, flowers or jewelry, and give each other Valentine's Day cards.
In the rest of the Western Hemisphere the day is celebrated much the same - lovers give each other cards and gifts, and gifts are also given to family members and friends.
In the East, Valentine's Day celebrations take place with a twist. In South Korea and Japan, for example, only the girls observe the day by giving gifts, traditionally chocolate or sweets, to boys.
In America, the celebration of Valentine's Day began during the 1700s with men and women exchanging elegant love poems and Valentine verses written on decorative paper. In the 1830s, Esther Howland, the daughter of a Worcester, Mass., stationer, established a business selling her own Valentine creations. During the Victorian Era, Valentines became less elegant and more extravagant. The poems became more comical and satirical, poking fun at teachers and old maids. Over the past century, the day has come to be celebrated not just through the exchange of Valentines, but through giving candy, sweets and gifts to loved ones.
