Презентацию подготовила : Пикалева Елена Васильевна учитель английского языка МОУ АСОШ №2 г. Андреаполя Тверской обл.

 The celebrations of St. Valentine's Day are steeped in legends and mystery.  Who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday?  Shrine of St. Valentine in Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland

 One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men.

 Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

 It is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him in the prison. Before his death, the man wrote her a letter, which he signed “From your Valentine”, an expression that is still in use today. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

 Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance.

 The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer.  This poem was written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia. When they were married, they were each only 15 years old.

 There were other three authors who made poems about birds mating in Saint Valentine's Day:  Otton de Grandson from Savoy  John Gower from England  a knight called Pardo from Valencia.  Due to the difficulty of dating medieval works, we can't know for sure who of the four had the idea first and influenced the others.

 In all legends there is one thing- the presence of a letter or a note to the lover. Now they are called "Valentines".  The peak of their popularity, "Valentines" reached in the eighteenth century, particularly in England. People used colored paper and colored ink.

 The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. She made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".

 Approximately 150 millions Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.  Approximately 85% of all valentines are purchased by women.

 Handwritten poem, "To Susanna" dated Valentine's Day, 1850 (Cork, Ireland)  Esther Howland Valentine, circa 1850: "Weddings now are all the go, Will you marry me or no"?

 On Valentine's day people traditionally give flowers, best red roses as the personification of the sincere love and white as a symbol of purity and innocence, and pansies, and sweets in the form of hearts, or packed in a beautiful heart shaped box.

 Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. It was common for friends and lovers to exchange handwritten notes. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged.

 Wales is famous for its so-called "love spoons". Before the holiday lovers cut out of wood a spoon, decorate it with hearts, keys and give to each other. Such present means: “You have found a way to my heart".

 In Russia there is the holiday of family and love- Ivan Kupala Day, which is celebrated on July 8 and associated with the legendary love story of Peter and Fevronia. Since 2008, 8 July is officially declared in Russia as the Day of family, love and fidelity. Young people are fond of foreign tradition and celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14.

 In Iceland this holiday symbolizes passionate love.  There is an interesting ritual in this country: the girls hang on the neck of the guys pieces of coal, while those hang on theirs small stones. The main idea of this is that the head off flames on the day Wali while rubbing the stone on the stone has a spark.

 In Denmark and Norway, February 14 is known as Valentinsdag.  It is not celebrated to a large extent, and some people take time to eat a romantic dinner with their partner, to send a card to a secret love or give a red rose to their loved one.

 In Sweden it is called Alla hjärtans dag ("All Hearts' Day") and was launched in the 1960s by the flower industry's commercial interests.  It is not an official holiday, but its celebration is recognized and sales of cosmetics and flowers for this holiday are only exceeded by those for Mother's Day.

 In Finland Valentine's Day is called Ystävänpäivä which translates into "Friend's day".  This day is more about remembering all your friends, not only your loved ones.  In Estonia Valentine's Day is called Sõbrapäev, which has the same meaning.

 In Slovenia, St Valentine or Zdravko was one of the saints of spring, the saint of good health.  It has been celebrated as the day of the first work in the vineyards. Valentine's Day has only recently been celebrated as the day of love.

 In South Korea, similar to Japan, women give chocolate to men on February 14, and men give non-chocolate candy to women on March 14 (White Day).  On April 14 (Black Day), those who did not receive anything on the 14th of February or March go to a restaurant to eat black noodles.

 In the first part of the 21st century, the celebration of Valentine's Day in Irain, Saudi Arabian, Pakistan has been harshly criticized by Islamic. Religious police banned the sale of all Valentine's Day items, as the day is considered a Christian holiday. In 2008 this ban created a black market of roses and wrapping paper.

   of-valentine-s-day of-valentine-s-day       