新编大学英语（第三版）综合教程B1U9Unit9Culture Studies.ppt

Valentine’sDay2.ChristmasVsSpringFestival3.HowtoSpendYouHoliday

1.Valentine’sDay

TheoriginsofValentinesDayarenotknownforsure.Oneofthemostaccepted,isthatitoriginatedfromSt.Valentine,theRomanwhowasearlierjailedandthenmartyredforrefusingtogiveupChristianity.HediedonFebruary14,269A.D.,afterwhichthedaybecameasymbolforloverscelebrations.

AnothermoreromantictalesaysthatSt.Valentineleftafarewellnoteforthejailersdaughter,whohadbecomehisfriend,andsigneditFromYourValentine.Andeversince,romanticlovershavebeensendinglovemessageson14thFebruary—coinedValentinesDay.

IntheMiddleAges,youngmenandwomendrewnamesfromabowltoseewhotheirvalentineswouldbe.Theywouldwearthesenamesontheirsleevesforoneweek.“Wearyourheartonyoursleeve”nowmeansthatitiseasyforotherpeopletoknowhowyouarefeeling.

Ifyoucutanappleinhalfandcounthowmanyseedsareinside,youwillalsoknowhowmanychildrenyouwillhave.

InWales,woodenlovespoonswerecarvedandgivenasgiftsonFebruary14th.Hearts,keysandkeyholeswerefavoritedecorationsonthespoons.Thedecorationmeant“Youunlockmyheart!”

Gradually,St.ValentinebecametheguardiansaintofloversandFebruary14becamethedayforexchanginglovemessagesaroundtheworld.

OnValentinesDayLoverssendeachotherValentinesDaycardsthattelloftheirlove.Sometimestheyalsosendothergiftstoo,likeflowers,jewelryorcandy.

Butitisnotjustadaywhencouplesandloverscelebratetheirromance.Itisalsoanoccasionforfamilymembersorfriendstoexpresstheirloveforeachother.

DifferentCustoms----InEnglandMensendgiftstowomen,andgiverosetoeachother.

DifferentCustoms----InFranceMenwillgivesomesurprisetowomen.

DifferentCustoms----InItalyGirlswillwaitforherMr.rightstandingbythewindow.

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