Easter eggs! Easter eggs!
Hidden all away;
Let’s go find our Easter eggs,
On this Easter Day.

One of the oldest Easter symbols in the world is the egg. The oval shape of the egg was the same shape for a raindrop and a seed. The egg itself promises new life as in spring, birds, and many other animals are hatched from eggs. In fact, the Persians, Hindus and Egyptians believed that the world began with a single egg. In ancient China, Rome and Greece, eggs were given as springtime gifts.

In Polland and Russia, hours are spent on drawing intricate designs on Easter eggs. In England, members of the royal families gave each other gold-covered eggs as Easter gifts in the middle ages. The most famous Easter egg decorator was Peter Carl Faberge. He designed eggs from gold, silver and other precious gems for kings of Europe and czars of Russia.

These eggs are priceless now and can only be found in museums and private collections. In early America, children decorated their eggs by using dyes made from natural materials like fruit and leave coloring.

Have you ever thought why every year, the Day, Feb. 14, people across the world are presenting their loved ones with candy, flowers, chocolates and other lovely gifts. In many countries loving couples celebrate affection and love. Dont you know that the actual reason which stay behind all of this fuss and buss is a kindly cleric named Valentine who died more than a thousand years ago.

The story of St. Valentine has several different versions. In short, according to the legend, Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II. Claudius was impressed by Valentine, and attempted to convince him to convert to Roman paganism.

When Claudius II met Valentine, he was said to have been impressed by the dignity and conviction of the latter. However, Valentine refused to agree with the emperor regarding the ban on marriage. It is also said that the emperor tried to convert Valentine to the Roman gods but was unsuccesful in his efforts. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully. This angered Claudius II who gave the order of execution of Valentine.

Meanwhile, a deep friendship had been formed between Valentine and Asterius’ daughter. It caused great grief to the young girl to hear of his friend’s imminent death. It is said that just before his execution, Valentine asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her “From Your Valentine,” a phrase that lived ever after. As per another legend, Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his jailer during his imprisonment. However, this legend is not given much importance by historians. The most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not centered on Eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion. Valentine is believed to have been executed on February 14, 270 AD.

The earliest surviving Valentine is a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was being held in the Tower of London after his capture during the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. “I am already weathered of love (sick of love), my very sweet Valentine.”

Since that over the centuries, the holiday evolved, and by the 18th century, gift-giving and exchanging hand-made cards on Valentine’s Day had become common in England. Hand-made valentine cards made of lace, ribbons, and featuring cupids and hearts eventually spread to the American colonies. The tradition of Valentine’s cards did not become widespread in the United States, however, until the 1850s, when Esther A. Howland, a Mount Holyoke graduate and native of Worcester, Mass., began mass-producing them. Today, of course, the holiday has become a booming commercial success. According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are valentines.

Do you know who made the first Christmas card? Do you know why Christmas is arranged with a ring, bells and light candles? Do you know why do we give each other presents and decorate our homes with Christmas tree?

Bells
Bells, ringing in the Christmas, came to us from the pagan winter celebrations. It was believed that at the time when the land is cold, the sun died the evil spirit become stronger. Then the expeling the evil spirits one had to burn fires, to make much noise, to sing, to shout and to ringing bells. Therefore till today at Christmas we can hear ringing bells in churches around the world. In England this death knell for the funeral of the devil, in Scandinavia, the ringing of bells marks the end of the work and the beginning of the holiday, Christians welcome the coming of Christ.

Christmas candles
It came to us from Romans who lighted wax candles in holiday named Saturnalia. In Victorian England merchants gave to its permanent customers candles before every holiday. In Christianity, candles are a symbol of the coming of Jesus as the Light of the world, and the victory of light over the darkness and the appearance of the Christmas star.

Christmas Cards
Appearance of the first Christmas card is bound up with Sir Henri Kohl, who lived in London and being too lazy to write number of greetings to his friends decided in 1843 to print out special cards saying: “Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.” In the same year, Englishman Horsley drew out the first Christmas card, which was sold in an edition of 1000 copies. In 1875 publisher Louis Prang Christmas had held the first competition for the best design Christmas cards.

Christmas gifts
The tradition of giving gifts came to us from ancient Roman holiday – Saturnalia and Calends. According to legend, the first Emperor of Rome, Romulus Augustulus received gifts at the first day of a year that included cut branches of fruit trees from the forest goddess Sterna. Then people began to gather branches to give it to each other as a symbol of good luck. Later inhabitants of ancient Rome began to give each other with branches also jewelry, pictures of gods and a variety of delicacies.

Traditionally, the giver of gifts is considered to be Saint Nicholas. Also, it can be Jesus or some of various saints, Santa Claus and Christmas gnomes. There are their own gift givers in each country. For instance Finns get Christmas gifts from invisible men, in Italy – this is fairy-old Befana. Actually Epiphany is celebrated January 6. In Italy Epiphany is celebrated with the tradition of La Befana bringing presents to children. Befana (Epiphany) was traveling to Bethlehem, where she had to meet Magi, who hastened with gifts to the newborn Jesus, and asked to speak to him. But instead of an invitation she received an offer to fly through the country and bestow obedient kids sweets. This funny old lady dressed in a long coat and holey stockings wandered to Italy, and she liked the country so that she decided to settle there permanently. According to legend, Befana was sweeping the floor, when the soothsayers thought better of it and decided to still call the old lady look at the Infant Jesus. She said she was busy. Later, she changed her mind, but it was too late. And now every year she goes from house to house in search of the Holy Child, leaving gifts for him in every home.

On Christmas morning, boys and girls around the world will waken early and run excitedly downstairs to see what Santa Claus has left for them…

Well, that’s not exactly how it goes — for around the world children celebrate the Christmas holidays in many different ways.

In Germany, the 6th of December is a special day:

…There’s a special tradition all over Germany on December 6th. [On] the evening of December 5th you put your cleaned (big) boots outside the house in front of the door (or inside). Some people also put a plate there or on the windowsill. The bread in the plate is for the white horse of Santa Claus … In the morning you see that Santa Claus really was at your house and put nice things into the boots or plates, e.g., all kinds of nuts, oranges, apples, sweets, chocolate, small presents … But if you [weren't] well behaved the whole year you only get a switch so that your parents can punish you, but they don’t!
Kristine and Wiebke, Germany
And in Italy, January 6th is a day long-awaited by many children:

The 6th of January is the day on which the three Wise Men arrive at the Bethlehem cave in which kid Jesus is and give him gold, incense and myrrh and for this reason in Italy children receive presents traditionally brought by the “Befana,” a good old witch who comes into their homes through the chimney. This is the last day to the Christmas holiday in Italy.
Elisbetta, Italy
In Sweden, December 13th is a special day that children look forward to all year long:

Saint Lucia [Day] is celebrated all over Sweden on December 13th. The custom with the girl dressed in white with candles on her head has a complicated background … In our school we celebrate Saint Lucia Day outside very early in the morning while it’s still dark. Our Saint Lucia is coming in a carriage pulled by a very small horse. She is followed by Santa Claus on a big horse and a lot of girls and boys in white gowns and a lot of candles. They all sing traditional Christmas songs and read poems. After the ceremony we all eat ginger cookies and bread with saffron. To celebrate is very important to Swedish people.
Class 4c in Nasbyparksskolan