Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is celebrated in many countries, but what are the differences between today's celebration and in the past? Read the text to find out some curious facts about the most romantic day of the year.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises.

Preparation

Valentine's Day is on 14 February, and it can seem as if the world is full of couples who are celebrating their love. Some couples might celebrate with dinner at a nice restaurant, flowers, chocolates or other presents. Some single people might put a post on social media about why they hate 'V-Day' or maybe they just avoid it completely. But it's impossible not to know that Valentine's is happening. And that's not surprising when over half of all Brits and Americans celebrate Valentine's in some way.

The price of love

For most of these romantic people, Valentine's Day means spending money. British people spend much less than Americans. The average Brit spends £28.45, while the average American spends $221.34 (approximately £170.81). Interestingly, in the UK, all three adult generations are likely to buy something for Valentine's (around 68–69% of them). But in the USA, millennials spend slightly more than Generation X, and both spend almost a third more than baby-boomers. Across all generations, on both sides of the Atlantic, men spend more money than women. 

The beginning of modern Valentine's Day

Today Valentine's is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, France, Denmark, Italy and Australia as well as the USA and England. But it's the USA where the celebration really became mass market, because of a woman called Esther Howland. She became known as the 'mother of Valentine's' after she created a successful business making and selling greetings cards in the 1840s. She got the idea from valentine cards from Europe that were decorated with lace and flowers and were very expensive. Then, in the early 1900s, two things happened that meant valentine cards became really popular: cheap printed cards were made by the greeting cards company, Hallmark, and the price of postage stamps fell.

Vinegar valentines

At about the same time as this, another kind of valentine card was popular. 'Vinegar valentines' were nasty, anonymous cards that people sent to someone they didn't like. This pre-social media way of trolling people was popular for a hundred years, but not many examples of the cards are in museums today. Museums have big collections of traditional valentine cards, but it's no surprise that not many people kept an unkind valentine card.

Further back in history

Valentine's Day has been celebrated in some way for 600 years. As far back as the 17th century, people gave cards or presents, but the very first valentine messages were written down in the 1400s. In 1415, the Duke of Orleans in France sent his wife a Valentine's Day letter while he was in prison in the Tower of London after the Battle of Agincourt. It is the earliest example of a written valentine message. However, the exact history of Valentine's Day is not known because there were three saints with the name Valentine. One story says that Valentine was a priest. He performed marriages at a time when the Emperor thought that single men were better soldiers than married men. The Emperor was so angry that he punished him with death. Another story says that Valentine helped Christians escape from Roman prisons. A third story says he sent a letter to a girl while he was in prison and signed it 'From your Valentine'.

Whichever story is true, the Catholic Church chose 14 February for St Valentine's Day in AD 270. They probably wanted to replace the pagan festival of Lupercalia on 15 February with the new Christian celebration.

Discussion

Download
Worksheet80.76 KB

Language level

Average: 4.3 (16 votes)
Do you need to improve your English?
Join thousands of learners from around the world who are making great progress with their English level with our online courses.

Submitted by rizky1616 on Wed, 15/02/2023 - 05:13

Permalink

having a lot of time to spend together

Submitted by arina_006 on Fri, 10/02/2023 - 11:35

Permalink

I don't think that it have to be the special day to celebrate love. Lovers ought to show their love daily and do every day spending together like approximately celebration. Taking care and supportive are really better than spending enormous money once a year.

Submitted by jyoti Chaudhary on Sun, 01/05/2022 - 12:35

Permalink

What is a good way to celebrate love?
this is not the way of representing love according to valentine's day or some other day else if both partners loves each other by heart so there is no need to celebrate to show up our love. love is care, and respect and always motivates you to do something for your better career. love is not dependent on gifts, and this type of day. I have never celebrated Valentine's day in my life. in the future, I will never celebrate this kind of thing.

Submitted by Susan Celis on Thu, 10/02/2022 - 23:17

Permalink

More than celebrating love by buying things or paying money for something, the true way to celebrate is to show your partner how much you love him every day.

Submitted by Thinthinmyoe on Mon, 28/06/2021 - 06:51

Permalink
I think love should exist between the two lovers whenever.The lovers must care each other and share happiness and sadness with each other.If so,they will possess every Valentine's Day.
Profile picture for user Rafaela1

Submitted by Rafaela1 on Mon, 15/02/2021 - 15:56

Permalink
Valentine's Day evokes a kind of a pit stop. Slow down, stop, check if the love is working properly, and drive forward! Do you guys think that Valentine's Day should do it once a year?? *:ღ ╠ ╣ a Ρpy ღ:*♪(๑ノ ᴗ ◔ิ๑) *¨*•.

Submitted by PARIMALA MADIAZHAKAN on Mon, 15/02/2021 - 04:05

Permalink
In my opinion, good way to celebrate Valentine Day is just sharing the love and care the love ones is more important. For me, expensive stuff or presents does not give me happiness on Valentine Day. A wish and love from a partner keep us feel happy and enjoy the day of full of love. A caring partner does not need to show the love from buying some presents on that day. The important thing is a caring couples need to respect each other on that day and respect the presence of the love ones. Thats all from me. Thank you.
Profile picture for user danisep

Submitted by danisep on Thu, 11/02/2021 - 00:55

Permalink
Sharing everything with each other not just presents instead, thoughts, words, and our hearts. Likewise, I think that the best presents are those that remember me that, my partner knows me and is interested in me. although expensive gifts always gonna be well seen.

Submitted by Tanyang on Mon, 23/11/2020 - 15:51

Permalink
I have had proposed to my wife on Valentine's Day 5 years ago in China, it was complete surprise and she said 'YSE". It was one of my most happiest days, it was a miracle to my life.