VALENTINE'S DAY*

*This article has been modified for beginner level.


The celebration and traditions

Valentine’s Day, the lovers’ party, takes place every year on the 14th of February. On that day, especially, people in love express their affection. They send their message in a heart shaped box of chocolate candies or a bouquet of tulips. But also people send cards, called valentines, to their friends and family. Verses on valentines often rhyme. Sometimes valentines contain humorous pictures or puns - but almost all ask, "Be My Valentine".

Valentine's day is a great day to celebrate our friends. School children decorate their classrooms with bright red paper hearts. They exchange gifts, candy, flowers or "valentines".

Origin and history

The party probably comes from the Roman celebration of the Lupercalis (15th February) when Luperco, the shepherds’ god is honoured. In the Roman age, its initial purpose is to assure the fertility of fields and flocks. Another version says that the festival honored Juno, the Roman goddess of women and marriage - and Pan,the god of nature.

With the time this festivity is associated with the one of two Roman martyrs, both call Valentine who lived in the III Century (without being known other data), and that take place on the 14th of February. San Valentine is traditionally considered as lovers’ patron saint.

In 270 AD, during the reign of the Emperor of Rome, Claudius II, marriage is forbidden. The edict is followed by most people. Marriage is outlawed by the emperor because he thinks that married men are bad soldiers. Only a brave priest, Saint Valentine dares to defy the command.

Valentine thinks that the decrees of Rome are wrong. He believes that people should be free to love God and to marry. Valentine invites the young couples of the area to come to him. When they came, the priest secretly performs marriage services and joins the couples.

The soldiers catch Valentine and bring him before the emperor Claudius II. While in prison, waiting for his sentence to be carried out, Valentine falls in love with the jailer’s daughter, the blind Asterius. During the course of Valentine’s prison stay, a miracle occurs and the blind lady regains her sight.

The prisoner is decapitated on February 14th 270 A.D. Before that, he sends Asterius a final farewell note. He signs his last letter, “from your Valentine”. Even today, that message remains as the motto for our Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Valentine's Day Word Search Puzzle

Play this word search game with a partner. It can be challenger if you two play against the clock. You may copy and print the word search out to play on paper.

Find the words from the list on the right of the word search puzzle. Remember than the words can run horizontally, vertically, diagonally, and even backwards. Select each word by drawing a circle around it, then cross it off. It takes a keen eye to find them all. Good luck!

Taken from: http://www.apples4theteacher.com/

You can create your own puzzles by choosing ten words randomly from this vocabulary word list associated with Valentine's Day. How many word searches could you make?

arrow, boyfriend, candy, card, cherish, chocolate, couple, cupid, date, day, doily, February, flowers, forever, friends, gift, girlfriend, give, happy, heart, hugs, husband, jewelry, kindness, kisses, lace, love, marry, mine, party, pink, red, romance, roses, saint, secret, sweet, sweetheart, valentine, vase, wife, wishes

I hope you enjoy this activities!