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Valentine’s Day is all about love, but most people don’t know how the holiday began or what it really means. Test your knowledge by taking our Valentine’s Day quiz:
1. What is the origin of Valentine’s Day? a) Valentine’s Day was created by candy companies, b) Valentine’s Day honors the historical figure known as “St. Valentine,” c) Valentine’s Day was created to celebrate marriage, d) None of the above.
2. Why is Valentine’s Day celebrated on Feb. 14? a) It is the anniversary of St. Valentine’s death, b) It was randomly chosen by the government, c) It is the same day as the pagan celebration Lupercalia, d) a and c.
3. What does “Valentine” actually mean? a) “I love you,” b) “Beautiful one,” c) “Worthy,” d) None of the above.
4. When was the First Valentine’s Day? a) 1904, b) 1537, c) 1856, d) Nobody knows.
5. Which of these facts about Valentine’s Day is true? a) Along with Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular holidays for giving someone flowers, b) In the Middle Ages, people chose their “valentines” by drawing names from a bowl. Each person pinned the name of their valentine to their sleeve for one week after the drawing, c) Valentine’s Day cards first became popular in the 17th century. At the time, these cards were homemade and tended to be very elaborate, d) All of the above.
Answers
1. b. Valentine’s Day honors the historical figure St. Valentine.
2. d. History is vague as to why the date was originally chosen. Some people believe Feb. 14 marks the actual anniversary of St. Valentine’s death. Others believe that the church selected this date for the St. Valentine’s Day feast, in order to take attention away from the pagan celebration known as Lupercalia, which was celebrated around the same time.
3. c. The word “Valentine” originates from the Latin word “valor,” which translates as “worthy.” According to legend, St. Valentine was given this name because of his heroic nature, bravery and dedication to love.
4. b. The first St. Valentine’s Day occurred in 1537 when King Henry VIII of England declared it to be an official holiday.
5. d. All of these facts are true.
Sources:
1) http://www.mydearvalentine.com/valentines-day-facts
2) http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day
3) http://www.examiner.com/article/valentine-s-day-trivia-fun-fast-facts-about-valentine-s-day
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