Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Read the text about Valentine's Day, then do the three exercises.
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, 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 last year included: an mp3 player, red roses, a box of chocolates, a CD of 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, 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 or 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!
Comments
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.
Well ... I also live in Spain, but I celebrate Valentine's Day too :)
such a great day
we celebrate this day in our country is an amayzing day after all
Isabel It is very interesting. hope, I will come in your country in this day. I am from Georgia and We celebrate Valentine's Day , this is a very romantic for young couples. they present gifts to each others and goes to the restoutant.
Where are you from? :)
I live in Saudi Arabia and celebrate Valentine's Day here is forbidden. so The lovers celebrate this romantic tradition secret.
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'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 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 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
It's great hearing about how people celebrate Valentine's Day in different countries. Thanks for sharing with us. Keep your comments coming!
I usually buy chocolates for my mum on Valentine's day!!
Simon (LearnEnglish Teens Team)
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 everybody, I am from the Czech republic and this day isn´t so popular here, but some people celebrate it.
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.
I love this day ! That is very romantic
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...
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.
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 :)
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. :'-(
Hi! I'm from Montenegro too :) where are you from? I mean,what city?
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.
Wow. So many people from Montenegro. (Including me, of course...) . Anyway... I don't celebrate it...
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
in Denmark were are celebrating all the Amerikan tradition so here in Denmark were are celebrating Valentines day!!!
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