Happy Valentine’s Day!

1. Happy Valentine’s Day!

2. The History of Saint Valentine's Day 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.

3. St. Valentine's Story The story goes that during the reign of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in several bloody and unpopular campaigns. He found it tough to get soldiers and felt the reason was men did not join army because they did not wish to leave their wives and families. As a result Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. A romantic at heart priest of Rome Saint Valentinedefied Claudius's unjustified order. St Valentine secretly married couples. When his defiance was discovered, Valentine was brutally beaten and put to death on February 14, about 270 AD. After his death Valentine was named a Saint.

4. Happy Valentine’s Day! During the Middle Ages, people in England and France held a belief that birds started to look for their mate from February 14. This popular notion further helped to link Valentine's Day - celebrated in the middle of the February, with love and romance.

5. Over the period of time, St Valentine became the patron saint of lovers and they began to celebrate Valentine's Day as a day of romanceby exchanging love notes and simple gifts such as flower.

6. Hundreds of years ago in England, many children dressed up as adults on Valentine's Day. They went singing from home to home. In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. Valentine Traditions 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. In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be.

7. Happy Valentine’s Day! 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 marrya millionaire.

8. Happy Valentine’s Day! In the course of time, Valentine's day came to be regarded as the festival that celebrates love and not just romantic love. Today, Valentine's Day cards are gifted to teachers, parents, friends, siblings and sweethearts.

9. Unmarried girls in Britain and Italy used to wake up before sunrise on Valentine's Day. They believed that the first man they see on Valentine's Day or someone who looks like him would marry them within a year.

10. Happy Valentine’s Day! Unmarried ladies also used to write their lover's names on paper and put them on clay balls that they would drop into the water. It was believed that whichever paper came up first, that man would be their future husband!

11. Happy Valentine’s Day! Just as in many other countries, people in Britain express love for their beloved on this day by presenting them flowers, cards, chocolates and other special gifts.

12. Cards are a celebrated symbol of Valentine's Day. Everyone from young to old, make an expression of love through a beautiful and heartfelt Valentine's Day Card.

13. Love Is A Circle Love Is A Circle, Round And Round, Love Goes Up, And Love Comes Down, Love Is On The Inside, Trying To Get Out, Love Is Whirling And Twirling About!

14. Happy Valentine’s Day!