Chinese Culture >> Chinese Society Traditions
Chinese Valentine's Day
It's that the time of the year again February 14th Valentine's
Day! But before I tell you how you can use a love letter to make your Valentine's
Day a day to remember, I'd like to tell you about another Valentine's Day February 21st 2008.
February 21st 2008 is another Valentine's Day, a Chinese version, which is the
fifteen day of the Chinese New Year. The Chinese follow a lunar calendar which
basically falls on different days every year. I am telling you this so that you
can celebrate both. Wouldn't it be nice that when you celebrate the February
14th and then invite the other person for another celebration February
21st. Not many people will know this but now you do. I will tell you a little
more about Chinese Valentine's Day.
Most of us know about Valentine's Day but the Chinese Valentine's Day is a
rather unique story. In the old days, men and women did not meet so freely.
Valentine's Day was the only day that the women, especially those who were
single, were allowed to dress up and go out to have fun. Their version of fun
was to go a place especially near a sea-side. They would be at their best
dressed. Of course, the men would be there too and they would be on the look-out
for the prettiest girls. Eye contact would fly all over the place between
the men and women. The men would try to find out where the girls of their choice
stayed and later would make a proposition to the girl's family for her hand in
marriage, if he still liked her. Now, during the old days, men and women seldom
talked to each other. During these special outings, the girls would also throw
oranges into the sea and make a prayer that they would find a suitable husband.
In the modern times, there are significant differences. Nowadays, men and women
interact comfortably. However, in some places especially predominantly Chinese
areas, throwing of oranges is still being practiced but with a little twist.
Women will write their name and phone number on the oranges now and the men will
take a boat to collect them. I guess nowadays, this practice is just for fun.
You could take this knowledge and device your very own special Valentine's Day
on February 21st, 2008 and make it different and special.
To make that special day even more unique, you can plan a series of events to
happen before that special day and love letters plays a major role. Imagine a
few days before Valentine's Day, you can write a series of love letters
leading up to that day. This will create an exciting and highly anticipated
atmosphere.
The love letter will not just enhance the special day but will express
intangible thoughts and feelings. In fact, with the love letter, the special day
is enhanced. The love letter has an inherent quality namely effort and
that effort will transcend to the special day. The recipient will feel the
amount of effort you have put into preparing for Valentine's Day.
The love letter for this situation must be something personal. It is better if
you can recollect an event which only the both of you shared and then say how
much it meant to you. The love letter can be about friendship, spousal love,
missing you love and even sorry type letters.
Often, when one masters the art of writing a love letter, and shares wonderful
moments in life with close ones, it often bring lots of joy.
So think of love letters as a means of capturing life's moments onto paper.
Try it and be amazed by its effects.
About the Author
Catherine Preth is passionate about love and relationship building and believes that everything in life hinges on them. Catherine is the author of http://www.write-love-letters.com and http://write-love-letter.blogspot.com where she explains how to do the simplest thing to enhance relationships between people.