To my valentine
A valentine is a special way to tell someone you care. The special
someone may be a sweetheart, a friend, a teacher, or your parents.
Usually, a valentine has a short rhyme that tells how you feel. One
valentine favorite is an old nursery rhyme:
Roses are red, violets are blue, Sugar is sweet, and so are you.
A valentine also has symbols of love. These can be flowers, doves, or
cupids. Cupids are chubby little children with wings. They are named for
Cupid, the Roman god of love. A cupid usually has a bow and arrow. It is
said that anyone struck in the heart by one of cupid’s arrows will fall
in love.
No one knows for certain how Valentine’s Day began. Some people think
that it may have come from an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia
(loo purhr [kay]{.smallcaps} lee uh) celebrated on February 15. Others
say that it goes back to two saints, both named Valentine. One of these
saints was killed on February 14. The day was named for him.
According to one story, Valentine was thrown into jail by the Romans
because he refused to worship their gods. Valentine loved children, and
his young friends missed him very much. The children threw messages to
him through the window of his jail cell. These messages were the first
valentines.
Another lovely story links this day to the
birds. Long ago, people living in England believed that the birds picked
their mates on February 14. And so the people chose this day to send
messages of love to one another.
It really doesn’t matter how the custom of sending valentines began.
What does matter is that Valentine’s Day is a wonderful chance for you
to tell someone how much he or she means to you. And there’s one nice
thing about a valentine. You don’t have to sign it if you don’t want the
person to know who sent it.
All of these valentines were made by children. You can make your own
valentines, too. You’ll see how on the next page.
