English Club In Action

February 14th is known as the most romantic day of the year. It is known as Saint Valentine's Day, or Valentine's day for short.

Students from 10 and 11 preparing all the materials for Valentine's Day celebration

Well, on the last 14th February we celebrated at INSTITUCIÓN EDUCATIVA DISTRITAL "FRANCISCO DE PAULA SANTANDER" our Valentine's Day 2011, which was the first time that party was held in the school.

I worked with a selected group of students from the grades 10th and 11th.



Valentine's Day is usually celebrated by giving someone you care about something special. This could be a card, candy, lingerie, stuffed animal, or jewelry. It is a fun and exciting day, but not many people know the history behind Valentines Day.



Believe it or not, Valentine's Day was not made up in order to have people buy more flowers and presents a month and a half after Christmas.

Valentine's Day is actually a Christian Holiday called Saint Valentine's Day. By celebrating it we are following an ancient Christian and Roman Catholic Holiday.

Valentine’s Day, the lovers’ party, takes place on the 14^th of February.  On that day people in love express their affection.  They send their message in a heart shaped box of chocolate candies or a bouquet of tulips.

The party probably comes from the Roman celebration of the Lupercalis (15^th February) when Luperco, the shepherds’ god is honoured. In the Roman age, its initial purpose is to assure the fertility of fields and flocks. With the time this festivity is associated with the one of two Roman martyrs, both call Valentine who lived in the III Century (without being known other data), and that takes place on the 14^th  of February. San Valentine is traditionally considered as lovers’ patron saint.

In 270 AD, during the reign of the Emperor of Rome, Claudius II, marriage is forbidden.  The edict is followed by most people.  Marriage is outlawed by the emperor because he thinks that married men are bad soldiers.  Only a brave priest, Saint Valentine dares to defy the command.

Valentine thinks that the decrees of Rome are wrong.  He believes that people should be free to love God and to marry.  Valentine invites the young couples of the area to come to him. 

When they come, the priest secretly performs marriage services and joins the couples.

The soldiers catch Valentine and bring him before the emperor Claudius II.

While in prison, waiting for his sentence to be carried out, Valentine falls in love with the jailer’s daughter, the blind Asterius.  During the course of Valentine’s prison stay, a miracle occurs and the blind lady regains her sight. 

The prisoner is decapitated on February 14^th 270 A.D.  But before that he sends Asterius a final farewell note.  He signs his last letter, “from your Valentine”. 

Even today, that message remains as the motto for our Valentine’s Day celebrations.

Valentine's Day Wordsearch Puzzle

Valentine's Day Gymkhana

Valentine's Day was an excuse to speak english and to have some fun participating in the contests and games that we prepared for all the community of INSTITUCIÓN EDUCATIVA DISTRITAL "FRANCISCO DE PAULA SANTANDER".