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Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Saint Valentine's Day

Love is in the air!  It's that time of year when all our hearts turn to love.  It is a special time to celebrate love and friendship, giving and caring.
                                                                                                      Sara, 8ºBB


Every February we celebrate Valentine's Day by giving flowers, candy and cards to those we love.

Legend says that Valentine was a priest in third century Rome. There was an Emperor at that time by the name of Claudius II. Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those that were married. With this thought in mind he outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of building a stronger military base. So, Valentine, decided this just wasn't fair and chose to marry young couples secretly. When Emperor Claudius II found out about Valentine's actions he had him put to death.

Another legend says that Valentine was an imprisoned man who fell in love with his jailor's daughter. Before he was put to death he sent the first 'valentine' himself when he wrote her a letter and signed it 'Your Valentine', words still used on cards today.

Perhaps we'll never know the true identity and story behind the man named St. Valentine, but this much is for sure...February has been the month to celebrate love for a long time!
                                                                                                                                                      Marcelo, 8ºBB

Kids, teens, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmothers and grandfathers all send cards, emails or cell phone messages on this day. Some also receive chocolate and candy. But according to legend, Valentine’s Day is meant to remember a brave martyr whose name was Valentine.
Did you know...?
Valentine's cards
  • A French prisoner in the Tower of London sent the world’s 1st Valentine’s Day card to his wife in 1415. He had no idea what he was starting...
  • Valentine’s Day cards became popular during the American War of Independence (1775-1783).
  • The first cards were handwritten notes. They started to be popular in other countries in the 1900s. Now, in the UK, the Royal Mail postal service delivers 12 million cards on Valentine’s Day.

  
Flowers
• 6 billion red roses are sold worldwide for valentine’s day;

• 9 million are sold in the UK.


Poems
Britain’s most popular Valentine’s Day poem is a very simple one:

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Sugar is sweet, and so are YOU!

Claudio, 8ºBB
Filipa, 8ºBB

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