Fundamentally, Valentine’s Day is a mass outward expression of affection. Love is universal; it’s far what makes us human. So the critical spirit of Valentine’s Day is inside each guy and woman, no matter nation. But, how is Valentine’s Day celebrated in different countries — if at all? In this article, we raise the lid on how Valentine’s Day is widely known withinside the United Kingdom, France, Australia, Brazil, and Portugal.
Valentine’s Day withinside the UK
Can Valentine’s Day be celebrated without romantic verses and sonnets through love-struck couples withinside Bard’s personal land? While the necessary cards, vegetation, and sweets dominate the day, children withinside the UK additionally take recourse to like poetry (posted in magazines and tabloids at the Big Day) to specific their heart’s desire.
This is, and constantly has been, a deep-rooted lifestyle withinside the UK, tracing its origins to the truth that it became the British poets who wrote the majority of romantic verses for Valentine’s Day.
Interestingly, birds have additionally lengthy shared an intimate affiliation with Valentine’s Day. Tradition has it that birds pick out their pals on 14 February every year. So, there couldn’t be a higher day to honor love and commitment — a truth that became first talked about through Geoffrey Chaucer withinside the 14th century!
Valentine’s Day in France
It became a Frenchman who made records of types through writing the world’s first-ever Valentine’s Day card! Charles, Duke of Orleans became a younger Frenchman who has been captured at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and became imprisoned withinside the Tower of London. While languishing in prison, he wrote a poem or ‘Valentine’ to his wife, little understanding that he became placing into movement a fashion that might a long way outlive him.
Valentine’s Day in France became characterized as a substitute uncommon custom recognized as ‘drawing for’. In this activity, single couples might input the residence dealing with throughout the street. Then might comply with a ‘calling out’ consultation and, individuals who favored the character whose call became being referred to as out might burst off with that guy/woman. However, if the younger guy took a dislike to the selected valentine, he might certainly refuse to go! After the ritual became over, the rejected ladies might mild a bonfire and burn pictures of the younger guy (guys), bellowing abuse as they did so!
Later, a decree of the French authorities banned this tradition on the grounds of it reflecting poorly at the fundamental emotion of affection and friendship that became the hallmark of Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day in Australia
It became in the course of the Gold Rush in Australia that Valentine’s Day fervor reached its peak! Nothing became too extravagant or high-priced to woo the selected one.
The Gold Rush noticed masses of guys develop wealth overnight. Flush with all that newfound cash from the Ballarat mines, the smitten guys spared no costs in offering the maximum extravagant ‘valentines’ to their sweethearts.
The guys actively competed with each other in giving the maximum high-priced valentine to their selected lady. After all, their presence sealed their romantic fate. ‘Valentines’ have been regularly manufactured from a perfumed satin cushion, and exquisitely decorated with vegetation and colorful shells or even a taxidermied buzzing bird! This ‘valentine’ became then packed in a superbly embellished and high-priced field to be despatched to the truthful maiden. Whether their labor bore fruit or now no longer is, of course, an altogether unique matter!
