February 6, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Every Feb. 14, people around the world exchange gifts, chocolates, and romantic greetings on this day set aside for lovers. Many traditions are followed, all in the name of Saint Valentine. Still, people may not understand why such customs are upheld. Much of the history of Valentine’s Day and Saint Valentine himself is shrouded in mystery, and much of what is widely accepted is inaccurate. To set the record straight, here are some facts about the holiday. Valentine’s Day is believed to have originated from a celebration in Rome during the fifth century. This celebration paid tribute to Saint Valentine, a Catholic priest. Other historians surmise it was a way to “Christianize” the pagan holiday of Lupercalia, which was a fertility festival. Included in the traditions were boys and girls drawing names from a box and exchanging gifts. The Catholic Church acknowledges at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus. All of the stories surrounding Saint Valentine -- whether they are disputed or not -- paint him as a sympathetic and heroic individual. Valentine’s Day greetings have been popular from the Middle Ages onward, though they have been usually verbal in nature. The oldest known written valentine still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are the most popular holidays to give flowers. According to Hallmark, women purchase 85 percent of all valentines. According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. Candy was among the earliest Valentine’s Day gifts Facts & superstitions surrounding Valentine’s Day and remains a popular gift today. Some tales suggest that the type of bird a girl watches on Valentine’s Day predicts her future husband. A bluebird indicates a happy man, while a sparrow indicates a poor man. In Medieval times, girls consumed unusual foods on Valentine’s Day in the belief those foods would make them dream of their future husbands. Valentines & Victorians (continued from previous page) painted vases filled with red roses. A table in the back parlor displays red paper, lace doilies, and other materials for creating handmade valentines. The Hermitage Museum is open for guided tours Wednesday through Sunday. Tours begin at 1:15, 2:15, and 3:15 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead ensure that a volunteer docent is available to conduct tours and to check for closings in case of inclement weather. The Hermitage is one of the nation’s outstanding examples of domestic Gothic Revival architecture. The historic house incorporates a stone structure that was visited during the Revolutionary War by George Washington and was the site where Aaron Burr met and married Theodosia Prevost. The house’s architectural appearance dates to the 1847 remodeling and enlargement by Ranlett. Today, the furnishings reflect the Victorian lifestyle of the Rosencrantz family, whose members lived in The Hermitage from 1807 to 1970. The Friends of the Hermitage, Inc., a non-profit membership organization, manages The Hermitage, a New Jersey State Park. The Historical Commission of the Department of State provides some funding to the friends through its operating grants program. The commission recently completed a major rehabilitation project to install state-of-the-art climate control and repair the historic exterior details of The Hermitage. The friends offer tours of the house, exhibitions based on the collections, and diverse educational programming. For information about The Hermitage, contact Friends of the Hermitage by mail at 335 North Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423, call (201) 445-8311, or visit www.thehermitage.org.