Valentines Day

Ever wondered who Saint Valentine was? Ever wondered where all the superstitions and traditions started? Ever wondered what others cultures do on February 14th?

Well this is where Behesht Beads tries to enlighten and perhaps inspire.

 

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There are varying legends as to how we got valentines day. Here are two:

 

Saint Valentine was a Roman who was martyred  for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14th, 269 AD. Legend has it that Saint Valentine left a note to the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend and signed it 'From your Valentine'

 

 

Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno.

Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage.

The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

 

The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and marry.

 

    

In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts 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 gift 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.

 

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.

 

If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.

 

 

In England - The giving of cards, chocs and flowers is the norm, usually the man gives to the ladies. If you're really luck a girl may get something small expensive and sparkling! but in Japan -  Its the ladies that give the guys the chocs!!

 

 

It wasn't until 1537 that St. Valentine's Day was declared an official holiday. England's King Henry VIII declared February 14th a holiday in 1537 for the first time. King Henry VIII declared February 14th a holiday in 1537 for the first time.

 

Alexander Graham Bell applied for his patent on the telephone, on the Valentine's Day, 1876.

Red roses were the favourite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love.

The Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet lived, actually receives approx 1,000 letters addresed to Juliet every Valentine's Day.

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