Valentine’s Day Webquest!

Have fun finding the answers to our Valentine Trivia Hunt

Questions:

1. What did people used to believe would happen if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day?
2. Who imprisoned Valentine?
3. On what date was Valentine supposedly executed?
4. How many Valentine cards will be bought in a year?
5. Name 2 countries, other than the U.S., that celebrate Valentine's Day.
6. In Roman mythology, February 14th is associated with which goddess?
7. What custom does the saying "He wears his heart on his sleeve" come from?
8. What is the flower associated with Valentine's Day?
9. When did Hallmark make its first Valentine Card?
10. How do you write I Love You in German?

Valentine Symbols

CUPID

Cupid was a mischievous, winged child, whose arrows would pierce the hearts of his victims causing them to fall deeply in love. In ancient Greece he was known as Eros, the young son of Aphrodite. To the Roman's he was Cupid, and his mother Venus.

ROSES

Roses symbolize both peace and war, love and forgiveness.
White roses are for true love.
Red roses are for passion.
Yellow roses are for friendship.
Black roses mean farewell.

Valentine Traditions and Superstitions

Ancient Romans honored the goddess Juno on February 14th. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

Some people said if you found a glove on the road on Valentine's Day, your future beloved will have the other missing glove.

Some believed the first man's name you read in the paper or hear will be the name of the man you will marry.

Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind. Count the seed that remain on the stem, and that is the number of children you will have.

Or, cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you can also tell how many children you will have.

St. Valentine's Story

Saint Valentine is said to have lived in Rome during the third century. That was a long time ago. During this time Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. Many people did not like the ruler.

Claudius was having trouble getting men to serve in his army. He felt many men would not volunteer to join because they did not want to leave their wives and families. He thought that if men were not married, they would join the army. So Claudius passed a new law which did not allow any more marriages. Most people thought this law was cruel. Valentine, who was a minister, did not support the new law.

Even after Emperor Claudius passed the law, he kept performing marriage ceremonies secretly. One night he was caught and thrown in jail and told he would be put to death.

Many young people came to visit Valentine. One was the daughter of the prison guard. On the day of his death Valentine wrote a note to the daughter signed "Love from your Valentine". This was on February 14, 269 A. D.

Some say this started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day.

Valentine Cards

The custom of sending Valentine gifts was slowly replaced by sending messages. In the 1700's and 1800's some stores sold books called valentine writers. These books had ideas for writing valentines.

Commercial Valentines were first made in the early 1800's. Many of them were blank inside, with space for the sender to write a message. Kate Greenaway became famous for her Valentines in the late 1800's. She was a British artist showing pictures of happy children and lovely gardens.

One of the first manufacturers of Valentines in the U.S. was Esther A. Howland of Massachusetts. In 1847, after seeing British Valentines she made samples and took orders from stores. Later she hired an assembly line to produce the cards. One person glued on paper flower, another added lace, and some painted. Howland expanded her business into a $100,000 a year business.

"I Love You" From Around the World