Every 14th day of February is a special day celebrated by almost everybody especially those people who are madly in love with. It was once thought to be the time of year when birds began to mate and a chubby little love god called Cupid aimed his bows & arrows at the hearts of young men and women. Many people today believed that their future happiness was connected with valentine festivities.
It is believed to have had its beginning in a Roman festival called the Lupercalia. The early Roman men often pinned to their sleeves, the names of the girls who were to be their partners during the Lupercalia. Even today, we say that a man wears his heart on his sleeves when he shows his interest in a young lady. Sometimes the couple exchanged presents. Ladies often received perfumed gloves or fine jewels but after the Lupercalia became a saint’s day honoring St Valentine, some of the old customs were kept. It remained an important time for anyone looking for a mate. In the 17th century, a hopeful maiden ate a hard-boiled egg and pinned five bay leaves to her pillow before going to sleep on Valentine’s Eve. She believed this would make her dream of her future husband. [Read more...]
