Cценарий вечера, посвященного дню святого Валентина

St. Valentine’s Day is always held on February 14th and brings us happiness and good luck. St. Valentine is one of the popular holidays in Europe and America. It is the day, when boys and girls, sweethearts and lovers, husbands and wives, friends and neighbours, and even the office staff, exchange greetings of affection, undying love, or satirical comment.

St. Valentine’s Day, February 14, has been a day customary for choosing sweethearts, and exchanging love-tokens from time immemorial.

The method of choosing sweethearts on St. Valentine’s Day varied in different times and places. It could be a serious matter, leading to marriage; or it could be a kind of game. Countless generations of young people have acknowledged St. Valentine as the friend and patron of lovers.

1. What is the first name for Valentine’s Day?

It is Lupercalia because Valentine’s Day has its origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, observed on Feb. 15. Lupercalia celebrated the coming of Spring in the Roman calendar (February was observed later in the year than it is today). Lupercalia was associated with the Roman god Lupercus. Lupercus watched over shepherds and their flocks and the festival of Lupercalia became a celebration intended to ensure the fertility of flocks, fields and people.

The celebration of Lupercalia transformed and spread as the Roman Empire grew. When the Romans conquered France, it was then that the first Valentine-like cards may have been exchanged. Apparently, a container in which women had placed their names (possibly accompanied by love notes) was used in a lottery. Men drawing a women’s name would either seek or were guaranteed that woman’s favors.

2. Who named her palace “The Valentine” and when?

A French princess, Madame Royall in 17th century.

3. Who wrote the earliest Valentine poems?

One of the earliest known "valentine" cards dates back to 1415. From his confinement in the Tower of London after the Battle of Agincourt, a young Frenchman, Charles, Duke of Orleans, sent several poems or rhymed love letters to his wife in France. One valentine card showed a drawing of a knight and a lady, with Cupid in the act of sending an arrow to pierce the knight's heart.

4. Do you know anything about the legends of how St. Valentine’s Day began?

One legend suggests Valentine was a priest in the third century in Rome when Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men because he thought single men made better soldiers than men with wives and families. Valentine secretly continued to perform marriages and when his actions were discovered, Claudius sentenced him to death. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270.

Another story has it that while in prison, Valentine fell in love with a young girl who visited him during his confinement and who may have been his jailor's daughter. The future saint cured the girl of her blindness and before his death, he allegedly wrote his love a letter, signing it 'From your Valentine,' an expression still common today.

5. What was the name of the first English actress who began to make and sell the first Valentines in England?

Kate Greenaway in the 18th century.

6 Who was fashioned the first USA made valentine cards?

The first U.S. made valentines were fashioned by a student, Esther Howland circa 1830. Her father imported valentines every year from England as a stationer in Worcester, MA. Esther decided to create her own valentine messages and began importing lace, fine papers, and other supplies for her cards. Her "Worcester" valentines sold an estimated hundred thousand dollars annually!

7. Can you say anything about the magic, which was tried on Valentine’s Eve?

One young lady pinned four bay leaves to the corners of her pillow and one in the middle. Then she dreamed of her sweetheart. She thought that meant she would be married to him soon.

St. Valentine’s Day came to be celebrated in most of the countries of Europe. Sicily is an island south of Italy. There a young girl would stand at her window for half an hour before sunrise. If no one went by, she believed that year she would not marry. If she saw a man pass, she thought she would marry him or someone who looked like him.

In Germany girls try another way of learning whom they would marry. They planted onions on St. Valentine’s Day. Each girl tagged several dry onions in a corner near the fireplace. She thought she would marry the man whose onion sprouted first.

The task is to find and match words with similar meanings.

Now we’ll see how well you know Valentine symbols.

1. What do rice and ting mean on the Valentine’s Day?

Wedding

2. What is to get a red mitten on Valentine’s Day?

It means that his/her girl/boy doesn’t like him/her.

3. What is Cupid with his bow and arrow?

It is a symbol of love.

4. What is lace on a Valentine’s Card?

It means you have caught my heart in a net.

6. What is the ribbon on a Valentine Card?

It means you are tied up, you are my girl.

Read the card carefully and find any mistakes there.

Deer, Mary!

I hope that Falentine’s Dai shall bring you lots ov fun! I thinks you’re extra-specially nice. And so does everione!

Best wesh, John.