Instructions
Preparation
February 14th is traditionally a celebration of love, so how do people in the UK mark the occasion?
Cards
Sending a Valentine’s card to a loved one is a custom that started more than a century ago. Couples give cards to each other, but it is also traditional to send an anonymous card to anyone you secretly love. This practice is particularly common in schools and can be a source of great amusement and embarrassment as everyone tries to work out who sent a card and who has a secret admirer! Valentine’s Day symbols on cards include hearts designs, doves, and the figure of the winged angel, Cupid.
Poems
The card might also feature a poem. Probably the most famous lines from a Valentine’s Day poem are:
Roses are red, violets are blue,
Honey is sweet, and so are you.
There are some ironic variations on this poem such as:
Roses are red, violets are blue,
You look like a monkey and smell like one too!
Mobile love
Millions of people use digital means of creating and sending Valentine’s Day greeting messages such as e-cards, social media posts or printable greeting cards. Texting your Valentine message is an easy (although maybe not very romantic!) option. Valentine’s Day text messages include:
- WUBMV – will you be my Valentine
- xoxoxoxoxo – hugs and kisses
- LUWAM<3 – love you with all my heart
- ImRdy4Luv – I’m ready for love
- :'-) – I’m so happy, I’m crying
- ILUVU – I love you
Flowers and chocolates
As well as cards, February 14th is also a day for giving gifts. Traditionally, men give chocolates or flowers to their wives or girlfriends. There are lots of websites offering advice on which Valentine’s present to buy. Popular choices include red roses, a box of chocolates, romantic songs, a phone, jewellery, a photo frame or perfume.
Unusual gifts
Some people think that flowers and chocolates seem a little ordinary and so they look for a more unusual gift. For romantic people with plenty of cash, these gifts could include a helicopter flight, a balloon ride, the chance to test-drive a Ferrari or an all-day session at a health club.
Others, however, complain that Valentine’s Day is yet another opportunity for ever-increasing commercialism. For true romantics, the gift of love is enough. Valentine's Day is a popular day to either propose or get married – you’d never forget your wedding anniversary!
Valentine’s Day: love it or hate it?
We asked a few Brits about their views on Valentine’s Day and here’s what they said. Following the tradition of Valentine’s Day, all the comments below are anonymous.
Love it! I always send cards to my mates – and my boyfriend, of course.
I would prefer to go without it. I don’t want gifts or money or anything like that. Knowing that I’m appreciated and that I can make others happy is good enough for me.
I got a card last year – but I still don’t know who sent it. I haven’t got a girlfriend.
My mum sends me a card every year. It’s sort of sweet but I think I’m getting a bit old for that now.
It’s just really humiliating. I’ve never received a Valentine’s card in my life. A day to switch off my phone because I know I’m not going to get any messages.
My boyfriend sent me a text message last year on Valentine’s Day. I suppose that’s kind of romantic but I’d rather have a present or even a real card.
I sent an anonymous Valentine’s card to a boy in my class when I was younger. Then my brother told him it was from me. I was so embarrassed!
I’m single so it’s definitely irritating. It’s too commercial anyway.
If a girl likes me I don’t need to waste money sending her a card just because it’s a tradition.
Chocolates, roses, cards, presents. Bring it on! I love Valentine’s Day!
Worksheets and downloads
Discussion
Do you celebrate Valentine's Day? If not, is there a similar day in your country?
Comments
In Ukrain we celebrate Valentine"s Day too. It is one of hte most romentic days.
I live in Serbia. We celebrate Valentine's Day. The lovers celebrate this and they gives a presents. Usually the lovers goes to the restaurant and they have a romance night.
I live in Colombia and we don't celebrate Valentine's day. We celebrate love and friendship in September playing Secret Friend (In this game we exchange papers and then give a present to the person whose name we got.), and in other countries it is called Secret Santa
in Denmark were are celebrating all the Amerikan tradition so here in Denmark were are celebrating Valentines day!!!
Here in albania it is also celebrated. Even in here girls and boys give to each-other presents to show their love. Shops al over the towns are decorated with ballons and cupid hearts and there is red colour everywhere.
yes it's very true paula. i agree with you at all
Valentine's Day is celebrating in Montenegro too. But we rather call it St. Trifun's Day. The tradition is like in the UK: the guys or the girls give presents or carts to the people they have deep feelings for.
Two years ago I got a card from a guy who liked me. There was a poem in it. I was surprised, because I have never gotten such a type of card before. Last year I felt so lonely 'cause no one thought about me. :'-(
Wow. So many people from Montenegro. (Including me, of course...) . Anyway... I don't celebrate it...
Hi I'm from Montenegro too.
I'm from Montenegro too.. but I live in Ulcinj.. and people here don't celebrate Valentines day..
Honestly I would like to celebrate it.. even if this isn't a celebration for Muslims.. :D
I am from Yemen . and I am Musilm too. I want to know more tradition about UK culture.
Hi! I'm from Montenegro too :) where are you from? I mean,what city?
I'm from Italy and we celebrate Valentine's Day. I don't really love. It reminds me that I'm alone. But it's the most romant day for me :)
Here in Romania the Valentine's Day is a little bit exaggerated. There are enormous hanging heart balloons everywhere, red hearts and Cupidos on the shopwindows. The magazines are full with Valentine tests and ideas. But I still like it, because it's good to know that you are loved.
Valentine´s day is actually a very beautiful tradition brought by I do know who. Its purpose was to remind people to take notice of people you like and care about them. Making people know that they are precious for us makes them happy. But do we really need to get presents, gifts or treats to feel loved? I know it´s nice and lovely but wouldn ´t we appreciate other ways of saying "I love you"than getting a bear with such words printed on it? For example, just simple words coming out of our beloved ones´mouth, their hug or smile. Don´t be so materialistic. The best things in the world are those you can not touch but only feel with your heart.
Anyway, why should we express our attention and love to beloved ones only on this very day? If we love or like someone we should let them know it every single day of our lives and not just on the Valentine´s day.
As a result, people who are not seeing anyone or are single at that time might feel blue, sad and this just makes them feel even worse.
As far as I am concerned, I like this custom, but I see it much more as a commercial tradition than a celebration of love.
People think buying expensive things means giving love and the more expensive the more love you give.
There are many inventive companies which know how to play with people´s minds and therefore expolit it.
Don´t get tricked by them, but rather call your sweethearts out and take them for a long walk. :)
Valentine´s day in Slovakia is not so popular but also not so unpopular. Those who have partners celebrate it and those who don´t have anyone hate it. So, it´s hard to say.
Here in Albania the Valentine's day is in 14th..
I don't know if it is same at different countries...
I love this day ! That is very romantic
hi, Im from Indonesia. i think in my country a lot of people celebrate the Valentine days. most of them gave their couple a chocolate. but i seldom celebrate it.
Hi everybody, I am from the Czech republic and this day isn´t so popular here, but some people celebrate it.
I'm from Armenia. Here we celebrate Valentine's day but we have our traditional "Valentine's day" as well called Saint Sarkis. It is celebrated in February after the Valentine's day. So, we have two such days in the same month and Armenian men have to give presents to their wives and girlfriends twice:)
hi!!! I'm from Senegal! In our country we celebrate Valentine's day. But me I doesn't enjoy this feast too much because I'm in love with someone but this love isn't reciprocal
I'm from Bosnia, and here we celebrate Valentine's day. There are some pairs really into this but others are not so romantic and find this more likely to be a commercial way of producing money.
Anyway, I think it's quite romantic ♥
Hi! I'm from Indonesia. Many people celebrate valentine day here even though some of them already know that celebrating valentine day is forbade by their religion.
I, my self, is not a fan for valentine day but not also a hater of it.
In fact, sometimes I found it quite fun watching people trying to make their love one happy by sending chocolates, flowers, cards, etc.
Some people, like me, take valentine day as a reason to start business.
I know other people will hate this reason.
But hey! I help people happy too by selling them my delicious chocolates, cute poem, and advices. And then they'd repay me with their money.
So yeah, it's a win-win condition.
Anyway, like I said before, I'm not a fan of valentine day. I think that why we should celebrate a day of all days and making our love one happy at that day? I mean, We should making our love happy at all time, shouldn't we?
:)
For all fans of valentine day, happy valentine day! Please don't forget that a day is not an enough time to express our love for our lovely person. Spend your life time wisely with your love one and make him/her smile. :D
I realy like Valentine's Day
I really hate Valentine's Day. It will not change until I open a flower shop or a candy stand in a busy shopping center. Bring some friends along and you can get a pink eared pussy cat.
I'm from Poland and I celebrate the Valentine's Day but only when I'm at school because if I celebrated Valentine's Dayr myself it's very boring.
i am from iran.i think before 2005 iranian people don't know a lot about this day.but since 2005 they start posting cards and giving gifts to each other and i like this day a lot.
I live in Saudi Arabia and celebrate Valentine's Day here is forbidden. so The lovers celebrate this romantic tradition secret.
hi nasserine i live in iran and celebrating valentine's day here is also forbiden this is 1 of the reasons i don't like iran but when i lived in australia i used to get cards and gifts from all of the guys in school iwas so populer
I live in Spain and here we don't celebrate Valentine's Day. We have a day in April for Sant Jordi and we give books and roses. It's the most romantic day for me.
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