St. Valentine's Day is an old tradition and its patron saint is shrouded in mystery, we only know that is celebrated in February and this has long been a month of romance and happiness, reason of joy and celebration.
One old legend tells as that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome on the time of Claudius II. He decided that single men are better as soldiers than those with wives and families, so he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret, and when Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Today more than 200 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making this Holly day the second most important of the year, more than half of them are send few days before the event . It's a time of celebration of love all over the world, but most in Europe and United States.
In France, lovers exchange elegant greeting cards called cartes d'amities that contained tender messages on Valentine's Day. Germany lovers buy red roses and they love to create circles of hearts for their parents or classmates. In Scotland or Italy Valentine's Day is celebrated by having a spring festival with a equal number of young single men and young single ladies who get together, they write on a piece of paper their name or a made up name, this is then rolled up and the ladies have to draw a piece of paper out of the hat and get their Valentine.
In Denmark, on Valentine's Day people give poems and candy snowdrops to their loved ones and nice flowers in Spain, Belgium or in Luxembourg. Greece is well known for Valentine's Day, here the ritual made its presence felt as a particular date to celebrate the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera. In Portugal it's a big festival, a day when Valentine's Day is dedicated to celebrating love and romance and couples spend a whole day in each other's company and exchange gift baskets.
Finland is preparing for Valentine's Day with unparalleled gala of carnivals and festivities in all major cities as they celebrate their "Day of friendship". Poland is a beautiful place for the lovers, if you like to visit old cities, pubs and cultures it's your place to go, especially in Valentine's Day. Pictorial and charming landscape superb place where you can find them taking vows of love and exchanging gifts over Valentine Cakes. Austria celebrates Valentine's Day with courtship customs and baskets of gifts and flowers, and long walks with the loved one. And in Hungary, Valentine's Day is done by a full fiesta of celebrating love, a big carnival of togetherness and intimacy.
In Romania Valentine's Day as its called "Dragobete" is and old tradition, a celebration of love and youth and birth. The legend tells us that the "Dragobete' is the sun of "Dochia" that was kissing the girls in the villages and today is a day of celebration and happiness. Young boys and girls gather around and tell stories and play games near the burning fires. The girls run down the hills and the boys will chaise the girls they like to win a kiss. The village communities where very interested about the new couples because they could tell what weddings will arrive in the fall or the next year. The tradition tells us that "Dragobetele" will help the village in the new year, will bring love and happiness.
Wherever you are in the world, I am sure that on this occasion you will hold your loved one, bring a smile, a flower or join a festival of celebration, it's the beginning of a new year, and new hopes for the future,... I wish you happy valentine and a happy new year.
