14 February
Valentine’s Day
The celebration of love around the world
While Britons tend to think of red roses, corny cards and chocolates when it comes to Valentine’s Day, some countries around the world celebrate love differently and have their own traditions.
In Denmark, couples exchange pressed white flowers called snowdrops while in the Philippines, weddings and vow renewal ceremonies significantly increase on the romantic day, with couples gathering at shopping centres and other public places to tie the knot.
In South Africa, women wear their hearts on their sleeves on Valentine’s Day, quite literally, by pinning the names of their love interests to their shirts.
China celebrate its own version of Valentine’s Day called Qiki, during which young women prepare offerings of fruit to Zhinu, a heavenly king’s daughter, in the hope of finding their perfect match.
In Brazil, they celebrate Dia dos Namorados, translating as “Lovers’ Day”, on June 12, with music festivals and performances, while in Argentina, they celebrate love for an entire week during July, in what is called “Sweetness Week”.
Let’s sign off with my love poem to Sue – When You Are Old
by William Butler Yeats
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
Thank you for reading my blog.
Gordon
