染雾篇一：The Origin of Western Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also known as Saint Valentine's Day, is celebrated on February 14th every year in many Western countries. It is a day when people express their love and affection for their romantic partners, friends, and family members. But where did this tradition come from?
The origin of Valentine's Day can be traced back to ancient Rome, during the reign of Emperor Claudius II in the 3rd century AD. At that time, Claudius believed that single men made better soldiers than those who were married or had families. Therefore, he outlawed marriages for young men in order to increase the number of soldiers in his army.
However, a Christian priest named Valentine defied the emperor's order and continued to perform secret marriages for young couples. He believed in the power of love and wanted to help couples unite in matrimony. When his actions were discovered, Valentine was imprisoned and sentenced to death.
During his time in prison, Valentine fell in love with the jailer's daughter, who visited him regularly. Before his execution, he wrote her a letter and signed it "From your Valentine," which is still a common phrase used in Valentine's Day cards today. Valentine was executed on February 14th, 269 AD.
In the following centuries, Valentine's Day became associated with romance and love. It was celebrated with feasts, exchanging of love letters, and small gifts. The romantic nature of the holiday was emphasized during the Middle Ages, when it was believed that birds began to mate on February 14th.
The tradition of sending Valentine's Day cards originated in the 18th century in England. People began to exchange handmade cards, often decorated with lace and ribbon, expressing their love and affection for one another. This practice spread to other Western countries, and today, millions of Valentine's Day cards are exchanged every year.
Over time, Valentine's Day has evolved into a celebration of love in all its forms. It is not only a day for romantic couples, but also a day to show appreciation for friends and family members. People exchange gifts, go on dates, and spend quality time with loved ones.
In conclusion, the origin of Western Valentine's Day can be traced back to ancient Rome and the actions of a Christian priest named Valentine. His belief in the power of love and his defiance of Emperor Claudius II's order led to the celebration of love and affection that we know today. Whether it's a romantic partner, a friend, or a family member, Valentine's Day is a day to express our love for those who are special to us.
篇二：The History of Western Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day, also known as Saint Valentine's Day, is a holiday celebrated on February 14th in many Western countries. It is a day when people express their love and affection for their romantic partners, friends, and family members. But where did this tradition come from?
The origins of Valentine's Day can be traced back to ancient Roman rituals and early Christian traditions. In ancient Rome, the festival of Lupercalia was celebrated from February 13th to 15th. It was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.
During Lupercalia, young men would draw names of young women from a box, and the couple would be paired for the duration of the festival. Sometimes, these pairings would lead to marriage. However, as Christianity spread across the Roman Empire, the church wanted to replace the pagan festival with a Christian celebration.
In the 5th century, Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as Saint Valentine's Day, in honor of two Christian martyrs named Valentine. These martyrs were both named Valentine and were executed on February 14th, although the exact details of their lives and deaths are unclear.
One of the popular stories about Saint Valentine involves a priest who secretly married couples against the orders of the Roman Emperor Claudius II. Claudius had banned marriage for young men, believing that unmarried soldiers made better fighters. When the priest's actions were discovered, he was imprisoned and sentenced to death. Before his execution, he wrote a letter to the jailer's daughter, whom he had fallen in love with, and signed it "From your Valentine."
Over time, Valentine's Day became associated with romance and love. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that birds began to mate on February 14th, adding to the romantic nature of the holiday. The tradition of exchanging handmade cards and love letters also became popular during this time.
In the 18th century, the tradition of sending Valentine's Day cards became more widespread. These cards were often handmade and decorated with lace and ribbon. The practice of exchanging cards and gifts on Valentine's Day spread to other Western countries, and it is still a popular tradition today.
In conclusion, the history of Western Valentine's Day can be traced back to ancient Roman rituals and early Christian traditions. From the fertility festival of Lupercalia to the honoring of Christian martyrs named Valentine, the holiday has evolved into a celebration of love and affection. Whether it's a romantic partner, a friend, or a family member, Valentine's Day is a day to express our love for those who are special to us.
西方情人节由来英文 篇三
St Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14 of each year, the reason why it is celebrated on this day is because this was the day that the Patron Saint of Lovers "St Valentine" was supposedly executed on.
情人节是每年的2月14日，它在这一天庆祝的原因是因为这一天是恋人的保护神“圣瓦伦丁”定下来的。
On this day lovers all around the world mark this occasion as a day for sending poems, cards, flowers or candy, etc. They might also be a social gathering or ball to mark the occasion.
这一天世界各地的情侣都以赠送诗歌、卡片、鲜花和糖果等等来庆祝。他们也可能以社交聚会或举行舞会来纪念这个日子。
Many Valentine's Day customs involved ways that single women could learn who their future husbands would be. Englishwomen of the 1700's wrote men's names on scraps of paper, rolled each in a little piece of clay, and dropped them all into water. The first paper that rose to the surface supposedly had the name of a woman's true love.
许多情人节风俗涉及到单身女性可以获悉他们未来的丈夫是谁呢。1700年的英格兰女性把男人的名字写在纸片上，把每一小块放在泥里滚，然后把他们全都丢进水里。第一个浮出水面的就被认为是真爱。
Also in the 1700's, unmarried women pinned five bay leaves to their pillows on the eve of Valentine's Day. They pinned one leaf to the center of the pillow and one to each corner. If the charm worked, they saw their future husbands in their dreams.
同样在1700年代，未婚女性会在情人节前夕把五片桂叶别在她们的枕头上。她们别 一片叶子在中间之后把另外四片别到四个角落。如果有效的话，她们会在梦里看到她们未来的丈夫。
One of the oldest customs was the practice of writing women's names on slips of paper and drawing them from a jar. The woman whose name was drawn by a man became his valentine, and he paid special attention to her. Many men gave gifts to their valentines. In some areas, a young man gave his valentine a pair of gloves. Wealthy men gave fancy balls to honor their valentines.
最古老的风俗是把女人的名字写在纸片上，然后就把它们从一个罐子里面拖出来。那个被拖出来的女人的名字就会成为他的情人，他也会对她特别的关注。许多男人把礼物送给他们的情人。在一些地方，年轻的小伙子会给他的情人节一副手套。富有的男人会举行舞会来纪念他们的情人。
Valentine cards became popular in Great Britain in the nineteenth century. Noted artist Kate Greenaway created cards which featured joyful children and beautiful gardens. Esther Howland was one of the first Valentine card manufacturers in the United States.
情人节卡片在十九世纪的英国变得越来越受欢迎。艺术家凯特格林纳指出创建卡片是以快乐的儿童和美丽的花园为特点的。
Inspired by a British card, she began production in 1847. Her cards featured lace and paper flowers and leaves. Other card manufacturers emphasized Cupid, the pudgy, winged son of Venus, the goddess of love. In Roman lore, Cupid is known as Eros, the son of Aphrodite.
受英国卡片的鼓舞，她在1847年开始制作她自己的。她的卡片以蕾丝边、纸花和叶子为特色。其他卡制造着强调丘比特是胖的、维纳斯有翼的儿子、爱神。在罗马帝国，丘比特是以爱神阿佛洛狄忒的儿子闻名的。
In the United States and Canada, children exchange valentines with their friends. In some schools, the children hold a classroom party and put all the valentines into a box they have decorated.
在美国和加拿大，孩子们和他们的朋友交换情人。一些学校中，孩子们举行一个班级派对把所有的情人塞进他们已经装饰过的盒子里。
At the end of the day, the teacher or one child distributes the cards. Many children make their own valentines from paper doilies, red paper, wallpaper samples, and pictures cut from magazines. Sometimes they buy kits that include everything needed to make valentines. Many children send their largest, fanciest cards to their parents and teachers.
在一天将要结束的时候,老师或着一个孩子会分发卡片。许多孩子们从红色的纸桌布、墙纸样本、和从杂志上剪下的图片中找到了自己情人。有时他们会买一些装备，里面包括了所有找情人需要的东西。还有很多孩子们把他们最大、最花俏的卡片给了他们的父母和老师。
In Europe, people celebrate Valentine's Day in many ways. British children sing special Valentine's Day songs and receive gifts of candy, fruit, or money. In some areas of England, people bake valentine buns with caraway seeds, plums, or raisins. People in Italy hold a Valentine's Day feast.
在欧洲，人们有多种庆祝情人节的方式。英国的孩子们会唱特别的情人节歌曲和接受糖果、水果、金钱礼物。在英格兰的某些地方，人们烤情人节小面包准备李子、或葡萄干。意大利人会举行的情人节大餐。
[西 
