ROMANTIC VALENTINE 情人节

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ROMANTIC VALENTINE 情人节

   People in countries as far apart as Japan, the Unite States, Australia and France send Valentine cards to someone they fancy on 14 February, St Valentine's Day. Most cards are romantic and express secret love messages which don't let on who the sender is.

   There was a time in Victorian Britain and America when men used to send rued and insulting cards to tease a lady they either loved or loathed. The problem for the recipient was trying to guess not only who the sender was, but also what his secret feelings might be. Most of the nasty cards were addressed to the pot-bellied, cross-eyed, one-legged or to old maids, wishing them the three dreadful "Ds": Disgrace, Death or Damnation.

   Mr Jordan's shop at 2 Mile Street in Boston, USA, did a brisk trade in Valentine cards imported from England last century. Many clients ordered their cards a year ahead.

   Today's pop stars can look forward to getting a current American favourite: a card to which is attached a blob of chewing gum and this message:“We can be Valentines if you don't gum things up."

   The lovesick British excel themselves each Valentine's Day by buying up huge spaces in newspapers to fill with messages for a Very Special Person. Anyone who reads the British national papers on 14 February will see romantic Britons at their most lovelorn, cryptic and erotic. Unexpectedly, The Times has more columns of lovers' messages than any other paper. Next is usually the Daily Mail, followed by The Guardian, Daily Express and the Daily Telegraph.

   Senders of newspaper messages, whether they are in Britain, North America or Australia, must get a thrill out of their exhibitionism without letting on who is the secret admirer hidden in the words of the advertisement. The British newspaper ad brigade tend to see themselves or the desired one as animals, with bears the firm favourites. But fleas, toads, bugs and mice are well represented.

   Food symbols often occur too: prunes and cookies are popular, also cherry pies and sausages. A lot of items are prefaced by "tasty" ,“crunchy" or“yummy".

   In America they even advertise St Valentine's Day on television. One commercial shown in Houston, Texas, last year featured an elegant woman sweeping through a leafy glade in a sensuous gown. Her message was:“This Valentine's Day, give your lover a plastic surgery voucher." While over on the West Coast laundries were offering to clean free anything that was red or had hearts on it.

   Who is this saint whose fame has spread around the world? In truth, there are 52 St Valentines, but no one knows which gave his name to Valentine's Day. One fact is acknowledged by love historians: all the likely candidates were martyred, dying with their knots of celibacy still securely tied. One Valentine gave aid to persecuted Christians, and while in prison for this he formed a friendship with the blind daughter of his gaoler. When he was taken away to be executed he wrote her a farewell message, which he signed:“From your Valentine".

   Whether or not this is the right Valentine, one thing is certain: the name Valentine name Valentine means "powerful" or "strong".

   The power of Valentine has won the hearts of many Japanese. One Tokyo department store says that 80 per cent of its February sales of chocolates are made in the two days before the 14th. Though chocolate hearts are popular, there are many shapes that are uniquely Japanese: one, shaped like a thermometer, is called Hearty Sick.

   In parts of the English countryside it is still believed that a girl can tell the occupation of her future husband by nothing which bird she sees first on 14 February.

   But if it's a woodpecker she will find no man at all. Happy birdwatching! Happy Valentine's Day!

Notes: Valentine =St Valentine Day:圣瓦伦丁节， Fancy喜爱，倾心. Recipient:接受者. Potbellied：大腹便便的. Damnation：诅咒，遭天罚. a blob of chewing gum：一块粘乎乎的口香糖。 Lovelorn：因失恋而 憔悴的。 Cryptic：隐秘的，含义隐晦的。 Erotic：**的。Exhibitionism：自我表现癖。 Prune：梅脯。 Crunchy：发嘎吱嘎吱声的。 Yummy：滋味好的。 Feature：特写。 A plastic surgery voucher：整形外科手术证。 Martyre：殉道，为信仰而受难。 Cross-eyed:斗鸡眼的。