VALENTINE'S DAY
February 14th is known in many contries as Valentine's day. On this day loved ones give each other flowers, chocolates, sweets and gifts and go out for romantic dinners.They also send special messages called "valentines" to their beloved. A "valentine" can be: a poem, a letter or a card. Over one billion valentine cards are sent every year! Valentine's day is celebrated in the U.S.A. Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Australia and in Italy too.
THE HISTORY OF VALENTINE'S DAY
Valentine was a priest who lived in the third century in Rome. Claudius II, the emperor at the time, decided single men were better soldiers than married men and he outlawed marriage. Valentine disagreed and he continued to celebrate marriage in secret. The Emperor found out about this and he ordered to execute him. In prison Valentine fell in love with the jailor's daughter, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death Valentine wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine", an expression that is still used today.
CUPID
Cupid is the symbol of this day. Cupid is a child-like winged deity with blond curly hair. In Roman mithology he is the son of Venus, the goddess of Love. In Greek mithology Cupid is known as Aphrodite's son Eros. According to the story Cupid throws special arrows and anyone hit by them will fall in love with the first person he or she sees .
