By: Corina Clemence
Saint
Valentine's
Day
is
one
of
the
biggest
retail days in the calendar. In
2006, the average American spent around US$100 on his or her
significant other, totalling $13.70 billion. Men typically spend about
twice as much as women (in 2006 $135.67 and $68.64 respectively),
mostly on cards, chocolates, flowers, and dinner at a swish restaurant.
Approximately 180 million cards are exchanged industry-wide a
year(excluding packaged kids' valentines for classroom exchanges),
making Valentine's Day the second largest
holiday for giving greeting
cards, according to Hallmark.
The history of the tradition of dedicating
the
middle of February to love is complicated. The ancient Greeks dedicated
that time to the rather passionate marriage of their prime gods, Zeus
and Hera. In ancient Rome, on February 15, young nobles celebrated the
Lupercalia which was regarded as a happy festival of purification and
fertility with wild sensual dances and participants running through the
streets naked striking passers-by. Apparently noble women would get in
their way on purpose, because they believed that it would help with
childbirth and cure barrenness.
This style of celebration proved a little too
rowdy for the Christian emperors and at the end of the fifth century
Pope Gelasius abolished the Lupercalia and replaced it with a festival
to honour Valentine the patron saint of Lovers. Pope Galasius wisely
adopted the old date for a more sedate version of a love-celebration -
thus facilitating its acceptance among pagans.
He declared 14 February to be the feast of
Saint
Valentine. However which Saint Valentine the Pope meant to honour is
not clear. Historically it is believed to be Valentine, bishop of Terni
in Italy of 197 AD. He was killed during Emperor Aurelian's
persecutions of Christians. It is believed by some historians that he
could be one and the same as Valentine of Rome, a priest and doctor who
treated the poor for free. This Valentine was martyred around 269 AD
for helping imprisoned Christians. While in prison he converted his
jailer by restoring sight to the jailer's daughter.
But as popular masses have a mind of their
own and
do not follow orders well, they chose their own Saint Valentine. During
the middle ages, Valentinius of Alexandria, the ancient Egyptian city
(c. 100-153) was the the most popular. He was destined for papacy, but
his Gnostic preaching, and his emphasis on love in the bridal chamber,
ruined his chances. Albiet his preachings made him an attractive
candidate for a romantic Valentine's Day Saint.
The romantic Valentine tradition really took
off
in the 14th century, when courtly love was all the rage at the royal
courts and it has proved immensely popular ever since.
It is interesting to note that the old Roman
Catholic Calendar of Saints lists 11 Saint Valentine's Days, but in
1969 all of these were scrapped as historically insufficient. So when
you are looking at your credit card statements in March pondering how
your balance jumped so high, just take a moment to thank your lucky
stars that there are not 11 Saint Valentine's Days.
This February, a famous landmark with a
romantic
history could provide the perfect location for a Valentines Day break.
The Loire Valley in France fits the bill perfectly and you will not
have to remortgage your home to pay your your romantic getaway.
It is said that "The Loire Valley is a Queen
and
the King loved her". The Loire Valley conjures up imagines of fairytale
chateaux with turrets, topiary and tapestries and fine wines
accompanying great food. To visit the Chateaux of the Loire is to take
a romantic step back in time to past centuries of French aristocratic
life. The winding Loire River cuts through the land of castles deep in
France's heart. No other stretch of Loire River can boast so many royal
residences, with over 120 fairytale castles and mansions lining the
river bordered by vineyards.
Royalty and nobility built chateaux in this
valley
during the French Renaissance, and an era of pomp reigned until Henri
IV moved his court to Paris. The Loire is blessed with attractions,
from medieval, Renaissance, and classical chateaux to Romanesque and
Gothic churches to treasures like the Apocalypse Tapestries.
The best way to enjoy the Loire Valley
especially
for Valentine's Day is to not just visit historic chateaux but to stay
in a chateau and to experience the grandeur yourself. You will not be
disappointed for the cost of a little more than a boring old hotel room
you can have a palatial suite in a renaissance castle with a canopied
bed fit for a king. There are many chateau in the Loire Valley now
available for lodging ranging from huge more pricey chateau hotels with
Michelin starred restaurants to smaller intimate homely chateaux which
are run as upmarket bed and breakfasts where you may be one of only six
parties staying at the chateau. For the cost of two dozen long-stemmed
red roses, a box of chocolates and a fancy dinner at an expensive
restaurant in England or America, you could stay in an amazing chateau
in the Loire Valley for three nights and feel like royalty. What is
more in February you will avoid all the tourist rush at the historic
chateaux and you can snuggle up with your love in front of a roaring
fire.
Author
Resource:-> Corina Clemence runs
romantic Chateau du Guerinet, near Blois a luxury chateau for up to 15
people perfect for a Valentine's Day getaway. Rent a castle in France
http://www.loirechateau.com
rent a french chateau
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