February is the second month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the shortest month and the only month with fewer than 30 days. The month has 29 days in leap years, when the year number is divisible by four (except for years that are divisible by 100 and not by 400 in the Gregorian calendar). In common years the month has 28 days. Leap year birthdays are usually celebrated on the 28th in a non-leap year. Some believe that February originally had 29 days (30 in a leap year), but that idea was invented by Sacrobosco during the Middle Ages
Birth Month Flower of February - The Violet
Is the rose the traditional flower of Valentine's Day, or is it the violet?
As the legend of St. Valentine goes, this Christian priest used the ink made from crushed violet blossoms that grew outside his prison cell to write notes of love and friendship. He wrote these words on violet leaves. These notes were delivered to St. Valentine's friends via the elegant bird of love, the dove. Violets were once the most popular flower on Valentine's Day; however, roses are an enduring symbol of deep love.
Fun Facts about Violets:
Violets represent faithfulness and "I return your love".
It is thought that to dream of violets predicts advancement in life.
As love needs clean, clear air to flourish, so does the violet.
This flower shows its esteem as the state floral emblem of Wisconsin, Rhode Island, Illinois and New Jersey.
During the Napoleonic era when Napoleon was exiled to Elba he used a code name of Caporal Violette.
February's Birthstone is Amethyst
The Synthetic Stone for February is Simulated Amethyst.
February's birthstone is the amethyst. It is the stone of Saint Valentine, who wore an amethyst engraved with the figure of his assistant, Cupid. Saint Valentine's Day is still observed in February.
The word amethyst comes from the Greek word "amethystos" meaning "not drunk", and was believed to prevent its wearers from intoxication. The following is a story from Greco-Roman mythology as quoted from "Birthstones" by Willard Heaps:
February Birthstone Jewelry
"Bacchus, the god of wine in classical mythology, was offended by Diana the huntress. Determined on revenge, he declared that the first person he met as he went through the forest would be eaten by his tigers. As it happened, the first person to cross his path was the beautiful maiden Amethyst on her way to worship at the shrine of Diana. In terror, she called upon the goddess to save her, and before his eyes, Bacchus observed the maiden changed to a pure white, sparkling image of stone. Realizing his guilt and repenting his cruelty, Bacchus poured grape wine over her, thus giving the stone the exquisite violet hue of the amethyst. The carryover to nonintoxication was quite logical, and in ancient Rome, amethyst cups were used for wine so drinkers would have no fear of overindulgence."
Saint Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day or Valentine's Day is a holiday on February 14. It is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other; sending Valentine's cards, donating to charity or gifting candy. It is very common to present flowers on Valentine's Day. The holiday is named after two men, both Christian martyrs among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.
The mid-nineteenth century Valentine's Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the United States to follow.The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines
Edited by maha_prakrti - 17 years ago
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