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St. Valentine’s Day, February 14th, has been a customary day for < choosing sweethearts and exchanging love-tokens from time immemorial.
Countless generations of young people have acknowledged St. Valentine as the friend and patron of lovers, and, < according to a country tradition which was known at least as early as the fourteenth century, so have the birds.
There was a common belief that all birds choose their mates on February 14th, < a pleasant, if slightly inaccurate notion which still survives in some districts as a tale told to children.
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It is true that nothing whatever is known about St. Valentine < that would suggest such a patronage.
In the Roman Martyrology there are two martyrs of that name, < one a Roman priest who perished in A. D. 269, the other an Umbrian bishop who was executed in A. D. 273.
It is not clear which of the two is really the lovers’ saint and so far as we know, < there is no historical reason why either of them should be so regarded.
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The method of choosing sweethearts on St. Valentine’s Day < varied in different times and places.
Present-giving on this day < was not confined to sweethearts.
Until very recently, < children used to go about singing,
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Norfolk children were supposed to go out before sunrise, and any demand for largesse after the sun had risen < could be refused on the grounds that the asker was “sunburnt”.
In Norwich, and elsewhere in the country, until towards the end of last century, < St. Valentine’s Eve was a great present-giving anniversary for adults as well as children.
Anonymous gifts of all kinds, ranging from mere trifles to quite expensive objects, < were laid upon the doorsteps of houses.
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A bang on the knocker and the sound of hastily retreating footsteps warned the inmates of the house < that one of these secret packages had arrived, but the giver, or his messenger, took care to be out of sight before the door could be opened.
Nothing in or on the parcel indicated whence it had come, for secrecy was considered essential, < and a great part of the fun of St. Valentine’s Eve consisted in trying to identify the unknown giver.
At one time, the presents bought and given on this anniversary were more numerous, and often more valuable, < than those given at Christmas.
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The Valentine card that we know today came into being during the eighteenth century < when the expensive gifts of earlier years had gone out of fashion.
At first it was hand-made, with little paintings of hearts and flowers, < and a short verse composed by the sender.
Such pleasant proofs of devotion are not yet quite extinct, and the hand-written < and hand-painted Valentine can still be seen occasionally though its verses are now rarely original.
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The commercial card appeared in the nineteenth century, complete ready-made sentiments and decorations, embossed, < brightly coloured and gilded, and later on, lace-edged, perfumed and packed in a neat box.
Since it saved much mental effort and careful handwork, < its popularity was immediate and lasting.
Thousands of these cards were sent through the post every year, < and the steadily increasing flood did not fail until almost the end of Queen Victoria’s reign.
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Eventually, however, a decline set in, partly, no doubt, because customs do naturally decay as ideas and fashions change, < but partly also because of a growing dislike for the so-called humorous Valentine.
This, which had grown up under the shadow of the sentimental original, was sometimes really humorous, but usually, < it was extremely vulgar and often definitely cruel in intention.
Today it is once more quite well known and used by many young people all over the country, < though it has not yet recovered (and probably never will) the enormous popularity of its Victorian hey-day.
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Both types fell into disfavor together, and it was not < until the thirties of the present century that the romantic Valentine came back into fashion.
The Guy Fawkes Carnival held at Bridgewater, Somerset, on the Thursday nearest to November 5th, < is believed to date back unbroken except for the war years, to the original event in 1605.
The carnival is noted < for the many thousands of “squibs” which are used.
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For many generations these were made in the homes and local shops, < but for safety reasons these were banned and only factory-made ones are permitted.
There is an extremely well-organized celebration < at Winchester, Hampshire.
College students and many other organizations in the city prepare elaborate guys, < for which prizes are awarded.
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The guy awarded the first prize has the honour of being < the first to be cast upon the huge bonfire, the other prize-winners following in order of merit.
Coffee and hot-dogs are in plentiful supply, < and a grand time is had by the thousands of onlookers.
Easter is also a time when certain old traditions are observed, < whether it is celebrated as the start of spring or religious festival.