The day of Valentine’s Day, February 14, is regarded in many countries as the festival of love. Couples benefit of it to exchange sweet words and gifts as evidence of love and red roses are the symbol of passion.
Originally a pagan custom, the celebration was assimilated by the Roman Catholic Church by the name of St. Valentine as the patron saint of lovers. The Valentine’s Day was not associated with romantic love before the Middle Ages, but with physical love. The party is now more closely associated with the mutual exchange of “love letters” or valentines illustrated symbols such as a heart or a winged Cupid.
To send tickets in the nineteenth century succeeded exchange cards. However, in North America, trade cards are not made according to the European design where the Valentine’s Day card is sent to a person “unique.” It is not uncommon for a person to sends a dozen cards, and even that elementary school students send to their schoolteacher.
In France, the designer Peynet is the author of iconic illustrations of “loving couples” and Georges Brassens sang “love park benches”.
In Brazil, they are not talking Valentine’s Day but dia dos namorados (lovers day), not celebrated on February 14, but on June 12.
In China, since the 1980s, Valentine is experiencing significant popularity, especially among young people, which generates various business activities. Besides Valentine’s Day, there is a traditional festival, Qi Qiao Jie, for lovers, from an ancient legend. The date is the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.
In Colombia, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of September. It is called día del amor y amistad (day of love and friendship).
Valentine was also popularized in India and Pakistan, causing the hostility of some opposed this western influence groups.
In Catalonia there is the Sant Jordi, men give women a rose and a book women to men.
In Israel, Tu B’Av is a day whose meaning can get closer to Valentine’s Day. It is celebrated in July or August (Gregorian date changing according to the Hebrew calendar).
In Romania, Dragobete is a fest with Slavic roots celebrated in Romania on February 28. Dragobete celebration is considered equivalent to Valentine’s Day, celebration has love.
Translated and adapted from Wikipedia
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