St. Valentine's Day

The custom, on 14 February to gift your loved ones or their loved one with a card, flowers and other little treats, there are of course in Ireland. For weeks in advance were found in department stores and shops clear indications of the coming feast of love. Upon completion of the Christmas season now rolled the next purchase Animier wave to the customer. The color red was everywhere, on shelves or on tables waiting cuddly plush teddy bears, heart-shaped velvet pillow in teacups, picture frames, pens and other Valentine's Day Sale Items on finding a buyer. And do not forget the huge and sometimes overly demanding selection of Valentine's cards.


To the origin of Valentine's day, there are many legends. One version was in ancient Rome to the 14th February, the holiday in honor of Juno, goddess of women and marriage, and the day before the Roman feast of Lupercalia. At that time, growing boys and girls separately. On the feast of Lupercalia the names of young unmarried girls were written on little cards. This came in a huge lottery wheel, pulled out of the young men the name of their partner for the duration of the festival. Some of the matched pairs remained together in this way for a long time, and some even received the covenant of marriage. Dragging name cards may be a source for the Valentine's cards in use today.


Mostly, however, Valentine's Day on the legend of the Bishop Valentine of Terni is returned, the 3rd Century as a Christian martyr died. According to legend, he had many lovers married Christian, including soldiers who had to remain unmarried at that time the imperial command. Often Valentine gave the newly wed couples flowers from his garden - a possible origin for the tradition of giving flowers on this day (and from florists again often cited). Valentin Marriages are said to have been under a lucky star. Under Emperor Claudius II was, however, the exercise of the Christian faith, the death penalty - Valentine was executed, according to tradition, on 14 February, either in 269 or 270 AD.