Sunday, February 14th, 2010
Issue: 15   Editor: Mika


Valentine's Day Nyxxie
Some hate it, some love it, some couldn't care less about it. No I'm not talking about me, I'm talking about Valentine's Day. Call it a a day made by Hallmark cards to boost sales or a day to cherish the one you love, either way Valentine's Day has been around for centuries.

The holiday was named back in AD 496 after a Christian martyr named Valentine. However, it wasn't always that Hallmark holiday we celebrate today. In fact, the sending of "Valentines" started in Great Britain in 1847.

"In the US, Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion Valentine's are send each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas," states good ole' trusty wikipedia. They also add that men, on average, spending two times as much money as women on this particular holiday.

Countries from all around the world celebrate this day in their own unique way, with the traditions still tightly weaved in between. In Norfolk UK, Jack Valentine knocks on the back doors of houses and leaves behind sweets and presents for children.

In Wales, many people celebrate Dydd Santes Dwynwen on January 25th instead of Valentine's Day and is celebrated much the same way.

In Denmark, Valentine's day is known as Valentinsdag. It is not nearly as celebrated here as in, per say, the United States of America, but the day for this country goes with eating a romantic dinner with their partner, sending cards to a secret love or giving red roses to their loved one.

However, not every country is very welcoming to this day. In Saudi Arabia, police banned the sale of Valentine's day items in 2002 and 2008. In Pakistan, while their political party has called for the banning of Valentine's Day, the celebration is extremely popular, despite the claim that "the holiday is an insult to Islam."

Either way you celebrate this day, we hope you take the time to spread the love! Please feel free to post below a Valentine's to your loved ones here in game. Spread the love, for at least ONE day.

Happy Valentine's day everyone!