What do you mean, heart-shaped candy boxes are creepy?

We are reliably informed (The US's National Public Radio) that Valentine's Day is sort of creepy. Let see what you know.

Short answers.

1. The origin of the holiday may be the Roman Lupercalia. This involved naked men (yikes) hitting women with the hides of sacrificed dogs and goats. (Ugh.) Why did young women put up with this?
2. There were two men named Valentine in the Third Century CE. What did they have in common?
3. The Church got hold of Lupercalia, made it into St Valentine's Day, and told everybody to keep their clothes on. Why was it still a dodgy festival?
4. Chaucer was big on Valentine's Day. What did people exchange in the Middle Ages?
5. What were 'kissing comfits', and why did Elizabethans like them?
6. Where would you find racy sayings such as 'Can you polka?' in Victorian times?
7. What tasty location might you find 'Luv U 24/7' in the UK today?
8. What mass production began in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, in 1913?
9. What is SAD, and how do you celebrate it?
10. What is different about the way Valentine's Day is celebrated in Japan?

For answers, click on the picture.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

13.02.17 Front Page

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