Valentine's Day in Britain?

Valentine's Day in Britain









St Valentine's Day is celebrated with gaiety, enthusiasm and charm in Britain. 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. Different regions of the country have their specific traditions to celebrate Valentine's Day but one uniform custom is the singing of special songs by children. These children are rewarded with gifts of candy, fruit or money. In some regions delectable Valentine buns are baked with caraway seeds, plums or raisins.



Penning of verses is another extremely popular tradition of Valentine's Day. Weeks before the festival tabloids and magazines publish sonnets and verses to commemorate St Valentine's Day. The custom owes its origin to the poets of Britain who have penned the majority of the best-loved romantic verses associated with Saint Valentine.



Valentine's Day in History

Customs associated with Valentine's Day had their origin in the popular belief held by people in Great Britain and France during 14th and 15th century that birds begin to mate on February 14, halfway through the month of February. Lovers, therefore found St Valentine's Day an appropriate time to send love letters and gifts to beloved. Romantic image of the festival was further established by English and French poets and litterateurs who drew parallel between mating of birds and St Valentine's Day. In the Paston Letters, Dame Elizabeth Brews writes thus about a match she hopes to make for her daughter (spelling modernize), addressing the favored suitor:



And, cousin mine, upon Monday is Saint Valentine's Day and every bird chooses himself a mate, and if it like you to come on Thursday night, and make provision that you may abide till then, I trust to God that ye shall speak to my husband and I shall pray that we may bring the matter to a conclusion.



Early Valentine's Day Tradition in Britain

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. Girls, therefore, used to wake up early to stand by their window and wait for the man to pass. William Shakespeare, the famous English playwright, mentions this belief in Hamlet (1603). Ophelia, a woman in the play, sings:

Good morrow! 'Tis St. Valentine's Day

All in the morning betime,

And I a maid at your window,

To be your valentine!



Another popular belief held by people of Great Britain made women pin four bay leaves to the corners of their pillow and eat eggs with salt replacing the removed yokes on Valentine's Day eve. Unmarried girls to dream of their future husband followed the custom. 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!

Valentine's Day in Britain?
Hi Midnight,

I like things like this My Friend. Thanks for sharing.

A Friend,

poppy1
Reply:Roses are red,

violets are blue

I'm on yahoo answers

Where are you??!
Reply:and the question is........



or is this a lesson n the history of valentines day?????????
Reply:This is GOLD!



Now all i have to do is wait for someone to ask the question "How did Valentines day come to be what it is?" and i can just copy and paste what you've written here.



Thanks very much.
Reply:yay, another question on valentines day...

or should I really say 'question'?

ASK A QUESTION not just give information...



:P
Reply:In Wales we also celebrate Santess Dwynwen day on January 25th. It's the Welsh equivalent.

By the way, the spell checker doesn't like Welsh words. Lol.
Reply:Zzzzz, huh? What? what was the question?

Edit : thumbs up to andy t.
Reply:BORED AFTER LINE 2 - TO THE POINT - YOUR QUESTION IS?
Reply:Oh for heavens sake, go and eat some chocolates!
Reply:This is a load of old shite.



Valentines day is for unrequited anonymous expressions of affection...nothing else!



If anyone known to me sent me a card or present...I would hire some very nasty people to wipe them and their vermin families off the face of the earth!!!!!!!!!!!!