Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is tomorrow! Go celebrate with your chéri(e), doudou, petit coeur, petit chou or anything and everything of the like. Even if you don't have anything of the like, you can still go celebrate. Maybe go ice skating, bake a cake, or, I don't know, take a French class at the Alliance Française? Or you could do nothing, that's fine too. You don't have to be very into Valentine's Day.

For those of you who want to get in the Valentine's Day mood, however, this a blog post for you.

France is a traditionally Catholic country, so the country celebrates the holiday like any other western country. However, in France, Valentine's Day is known simply as "Saint Valentin," and to wish someone a happy Valentine's Day, you say joyeuse Saint-Valentin!

For those who weren't aware, the holiday was named for Saint Valentine. Not much is known about this Roman saint, but there are a ton of romanticized accounts about his life. One popular story is that Saint Valentine was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. During his imprisonment, he healed the daughter of his jailer and before his execution, he wrote her a letter signed "Your Valentine" as a farewell.

Regardless, of what Saint Valentine did with his life, we still love to celebrate love in his name. So, to commemorate the holiday, here's a list of fun Valentine's Day superstitions for your pleasure.

Some believe that the kind of bird a girl watches on Valentine's Day predicts her future husband. A sparrow means she will marry a poor man; an owl means she'll stay single; a bluebird means a happy man; a blackbird, a priest or clergyman; a goldfinch, a millionaire; a robin, a crime fighter; and a crossbill, an argumentative man.

If an apple is cut in half, the number of seeds found inside the fruit will indicate the number of children that individual will have.

To be awoken by a kiss on Valentine's Day is considered lucky.

The first guy's name you read in the paper or hear on the TV or radio will be the name of the man you will marry.

If you see a squirrel on Valentine's Day, you will marry a cheapskate who will hoard all your money.

If you see a flock of doves on Valentine's Day, you will have a happy, peaceful marriage.

If you find a glove on the road on Valentine's Day, your future beloved will have the other missing glove.


Whether or not these things happen to you, I hope you enjoy your day nevertheless. Joyeuse Saint-Valentin!