How is Valentine's Day celebrated in the UK?
First of all (erstens), Valentine's Day is not a public holiday (gesetzlicher / offizieller Feiertag) in the UK - restaurants and hotels
are usually very busy on that day! So if you would like to enjoy a romantic meal for two, you had better book well in advance (im Voraus)!
It is also a very popular wedding day.
Did you know that Valentine's Day dates back to (geht / datiert zurück zu) Roman (Römisch) times when Saint Valentine (a Christian martyr [Märtyrer]) was decapitated (geköpft) by King Claudius, for performing illegal marriages of Roman soldiers (Soldaten)! Over the years, Saint Valentine has come to be regarded as the patron (Schutzheiliger / Schirmherr) of love. So Valentine's Day is a festival of love! Only about 60 years ago it became increasingly commercial (kommerziell) in nature.
Some symbols commonly associated with Valentine's Day are:
- roses
- hearts
- teddies with hearts / roses
- kissing couples
- Cupid (mythical figure who uses a bow and arrow to strike romantic love into people's hearts)
Some typical Valentine's Day gifts include:
- chocolates
- Valentine's cards
- lingerie
- champagne / sparkling wine
- flowers (especially roses)
- poems
Take part in my Valentine's Day quiz:
The 14 questions have one thing in common - each solution is made up of letters of the words VALENTINE'S DAY! :-)
How do you celebrate Valentine's Day? Leave me a comment below!