Trivia for happy couples and blessed singlesIn the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week.Thank God there is no such thing now. Seriously, imagine having "Steven Lim" sprawled across your sleeves. Sleeves mind you, that means BOTH sides.In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man. If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him.If that is the case in Singapore, a woman would have many husbands. Remind me to check out the countries, just in case we foreigners get misunderstood.Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.So what if she saw a crow? Now we know why ostrich, flamingo peacock and chicken have difficulty flying. Bless the ladies.Japanese created "White Day" in 1980 to help assuage the guilt feelings of those poor obligated males who received chocolate on Valentine's Day. On March 14th, (exactly one month after Valentine's Day, for the ignorants), men who were lucky enough to receive gifts of chocolate have the chance to return the favor by giving the women who gave them gifts of chocolate during V day.
Rejoice for those with thin skins. Aren't the Japanese smart? I thought sushi (of course, and technology) was the greatest invention, but this fabulous day as well. In Italy Valentine's Day is celebrated as a Spring Festival. The young would gather in leafy glades or ornamental gardens, where they would listen to music and hear poetry read, then they would stroll off with their valentine together into the gardens.So you think Romeo and Juliet would be so madly in love if they were to meet at Zouk or in the hustle bustle Shenton Way. Ok, let me be fair, Botanic Garden? Listening to the bu-pa bu pa while reading 'More kids, more incentives" aloud to each other?In France young unmarried people as well as older unmarried people would go into houses facing each other and start calling out across from one window to another.They would then pair with the one they have chosen. If the young man didn't fancy his valentine he would reject her. A bonfire would be lit where the young ladies would burn images of the young man and yell out abuse as she the image of the young man get thrownnto the bonfire.This is VERY funny. Bitterness turned vengeful? If it were us, maybe we would take some wooden clogs and start hitting the photo? Something like da xiao ren. Da ni de xiao ren shou.. blah blah.. In Denmark, Valentine day's card, also known as Lover's card, are exchanged. Unlike usual cards, a picture of a lover handing a gift can be seen when held up to the light. The Dutches swap poems and candy snowdrops. The sender signs his or her name in dots.
If the receiver guesses the correct name then the sender will get a candy egg at Easter time.The whole V-day thing stretches to Easter!Now that you have read it all, compare that to the Valentine Day in Singapore. Still feel sore that you don't have a lover? Don't bother. Unless that person happens to have a very romantic soul. Then again, what can you do here? Mount Faber? lol
Jacqueline
9:38 PM
