St. Valentine's Day
Valentines Day is the traditional day on 14th February for lovers, or people with a secret love, to exchange valentines cards, gifts, chocolates or flowers.
St. Valentines Day has an ancient and mysterious history. February, has been a month associated with romance for a very long time. Who was this man, St. Valentine whose name is now synonomous with love?
Legend has it that Saint Valentine sent the first ‘valentine' greeting. Many believe, that, whilst imprisoned and awaiting his execution, St. Valentine fell desperately in love with a beautiful young girl. She was believed to be the daughter of his gaoler and during his confinement had become his friend.
It is said that shortly before St. Valentine met his fate he wrote a farewell letter to this young girl signing it, ‘From your Valentine'. You may yourself have used this expression as it has now become common between loved ones on Saint Valentines Day. Then in 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius proclaimed 14th February in honour of St. Valentine.
Saint Valentine has had an enduring appeal to people from all cultures due to his romantic associations and his heroic nature.
Saint Valentine's Day is the perfect time for people to express their romantic intentions. Men, who though they feel deeply, often find it difficult to express their deep sense of love for another often become liberated on St Valentine's Day.
Maybe, that Ancient Roman, St. Valentine, is still weaving his romantic spell two thousand years later.
Why not show your true depth of love by sending her a lingerie gift as lovely as she is this Valentines Day,
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Valentine's Day in the Orient
Japan
St. Valentine's Day has emerged in Japan as a day, 14th February, on which ladies, and less frequently men, give sweets, chocolate or flowers to people they like. The tradition appears to have been started by a campaign that a Japanese chocolate manufacturer ran in 1958, promoting St. Valentine's Day as "the day women confess their love to a man with a gift of chocolate". During the campaign the firm sold heart-shaped chocolates at a department store in Tokyo. In the first year only five were sold, but this "Valentine Sale" became increasingly popular with each passing year. The tradition of ladies sending chocolates to men on St. Valentine's Day gradually emerged.
This has become an obligation for many women who work in offices and subsequently give chocolates to all their male colleagues, sometimes at significant personal expense. The chocolate is known as giri-choko (義理チョコ), in Japan, and is taken from the words giri (obligation) and choko, a common version of chokorēto (チョコレート), meaning chocolate. This contrasts with honmei-choko, which is given to a person someone loves or has a strong relationship with. Friends, especially girls, exchange chocolate that is referred to as tomo-choko (友チョコ); tomo means friend in Japanese. Today, chocolates are frequently given to members of one's own family and women commonly hand make them to make them more personal.
Men are expected to reciprocate on a day called White Day, which again emerged through marketing campaigns being introduced and promoted by a Japanese confectionery company in the 1960's. On 14th March, men are expected to return the favour to the ladies who gave them chocolates on Valentine's Day. However, many men give presents only to their girlfriends. ‘White day' got it's name from the white chocolate and marshmallows that were given as presents, however, more recently men have commonly given, lingerie, pyjamas and even swimwear to their loved ones.
Korea
In Korea ladies give men the traditional gift of sweets on 14th February and not the other way around. Men have their own special day to give gifts to ladies and this is celebrated on 14th March. Much the same as the custom in Japan, March 14 in Korea is known as "White Day." On "White Day," many young men take the opportunity to confess their love and affection for the first time to their sweethearts.
Koreans have set aside yet another date, on the 14th April, for those young people who have no special romantic partners. This is known as ‘Black Day.' Those people get together on that day and partake of Jajangmyun noodles (Chinese style noodles in black sauce), which is where the name derives from). The South Koreans also have ‘Pepero Day' which is celebrated on 11th November. On this day young couples give each other romantic gifts.
China
The Chinese have a similar celebration called Qi Xi (七夕, Pinyin: qī xī, ‘The Night of Sevens'), which is on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar. Another Chinese version of Valentine's Day is held on the 15th day of the 1st month of the lunar calendar which is also the 'Last Day of Chinese New Year' where Chinese people celebrate for as long as 15 days. Chinese girls traditionally write their name and address on a mandarin orange on this day, and more recently their name, address, mobile phone number and also e-mail address and finally throw it into a river to seek for a future lover. The boys then look for these oranges to find their future sweetheart. The tradition is still popular. On this day young girls also demonstrate their domestic arts, especially melon carving, making a wish for a good husband.
Taiwan
Though St. Valentine's Day is celebrated in Taiwan on the 14th February there is also a special Valentine's Day on 7th July of the lunar calendar which is based on an ancient Chinese story. Taiwanese tend to give each date equal importance. Much the same as in western culture men give their sweethearts chocolates and flowers on these days. Many Taiwanese believe that the colour and number of roses holds much significance.
One red rose means ‘an only love,' eleven roses means ‘a favorite,' ninety-nine roses means ‘forever' and one hundred and eight roses means ‘marry me'!
