February 14, 2010

Valentine's Day

Ever since the High Middle Ages, Valentine's Day has been associated with romantic love. Declarations of love traditionally include gifts of flowers, candy, and greeting cards, called Valentines.

Nowadays, many spread the greeting and gifting beyond romantic partners to parents, kids, relatives, and friends (plus many more).

Did you know...?

• A “High Court of Love” was set up in Paris, France, on Valentine's Day of 1400. Here judges dealt with promises and betrayals of love and ruled on disagreements between couples. The judges were chosen by women based on how well they read poetry.

• When postal rates were lowered in Victorian England, it became easy to mail Valentines rather than hand-deliver them. And that made it possible to send Valentines anonymously—without signing one's name—and THAT made it possible to be a bit racy in the verses on the Valentines.

• The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that one billion Valentine's cards are sent each year worldwide. I can't help wondering if that counts all the handmade ones?

Make Valentines for your friends!
You might consider making a special Valentine cootie catcher for a special friend. Here's how to make a cootie catcher—you decide how to V-Day it up with red and pink markers!




Heart Facts Valentine's Day is all about hearts, right? Well, this website has an interactive lesson about real human hearts—click away to learn about the thing beating in your chest.



Heart Phrases
Match the numbered heart phrases with the lettered definitions:

1. lose heart
2. broken heart
3. lion-hearted
4. tender-hearted
5. cold hearted
6. know by heart
7. wear your heart on your sleeve
8. pour out your heart
9. heavy heart
10. heart throb
11. heart beat
12. heartburn
13. heart-to-heart talk
14. heart of things
15. have a heart
16. heart murmur

A. pain in chest because stomach acid is splashing up into esophagus
B. be merciful
C. sadness
D. tell everything on your mind
E. a private, trusting chat someone
F. center
G. the rhythm made by your heart pumping blood
H. a gorgeous movie star or other celebrity
I. a slight sound made by your heart if your valve is leaky
J. brave
K. be honest and open
L. devastated in a romantic relationship
M. get discouraged
N. mean or unfeeling
O. kind and caring
P. have something memorized


ANSWERS: 1.M 2.L 3.J 4.O 5.N 6.P 7.K 8.D 9.C 10.H 11.G 12.A 13.E 14.F 15.B 16.I