Each year on February 14th,
many people exchange cards, candy, gifts or flowers with their special ‘valentine’.
The day of romance we call Valentine’s Day is named for a Christian martyr and
dates back to the 5th century, but has origins in the Roman holiday
Lupercalia.
There are many traditions and
tales associated with romance activities on Valentine’s Day including:
- The first man an unmarried woman saw on 14th February would be her future husband.
- If the names of all a girl’s suitors were written on paper and wrapped in clay and the clay put into water, the piece that rose to the surface first would contain the name of her husband-to-be.
- If a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfish, she would marry a rich person.
