Today we are going to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day. Itis a very sentimental unofficial holiday, which is celebrated on the 14th February by those who believe in love and friendship. Boys and girls, husbands and wives, just friends send nice cards to each other with warm greetings on the day. No one can trace origin of this European tradition, but the legend tells us a story of an Italian monk Valentine who helped young people to marry breaching thus the ruler's law. St Valentine was executed but people still remember him and celebrate this saint's day as a day of love.
The best presents are small trifles, chocolates and greeting cards. The words are simple and touching like these ones:
I'll be your sweetheart
If you will be mine,
All of my life
I'll be your Valentine.
2.Легенды о происхождении праздника
History of Valentine's Day
Valentine’s Day has always been the day dedicated to lovers. There are many stories as to how Valentine’s day started. Here are a few of them.
Lupercalia
Valentine’s Day has its origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, observed on Feb. 15. Lupercalia celebrated the coming of Spring in the Roman calendar (February was observed later in the year than it is today). Lupercalia was associated with the Roman gods Lupercus and Faunus. Lupercus watched over shepherds and their flocks and the festival of Lupercalia became a celebration intended to ensure the fertility of flocks, fields and people.
The celebration of Lupercalia transformed and spread as the Roman Empire grew. When the Romans conquered France, it was then that the first Valentine-like cards may have been exchanged. Apparently, a container in which women had placed their names (possibly accompanied by love notes) was used in a lottery. Men drawing a women’s name would either seek or were guaranteed that woman’s favors.
Saint Valentine’s Day
The legend of St. Valentine stems from real-life martyrs from the Roman Empire known as Valentines. It is unsure who was the St. Valentine, but there are two possible candidates. One of these Valentines is believed to have been a Roman priest and physician. He was killed in the third century, during the persecutions of the Emperor Claudius II. After his death this Valentine was buried in the Roman road Via Flaminia. Pope Julius I is said to have later built a basilica above his grave. A second Saint Valentine candidate, believed to be a bishop of Teni ( a province in central Italy), was executed in Rome.
These men’s status comes from legends of harboring Christians from persecution, curing the blindness of a cell keeper’s daughter, and conducting marriages while they were forbidden during times of war. It is this, along with the traditions of Lupercalia, that came together to honor St. Valentine as the patron saint of lovers.
Eros-Cupid-Amor
From its association with Lupercalia, and that day’s connection to fertility, comes St. Valentine’s association with love and romance. This led Valentine’s enthusiasts to appoint the Roman god Cupid as a patron of Valentine’s day. Cupid is also known as Amor or Eros in Greek mythology. Eros seems to have been responsible for impregnating a number of goddesses and mortals. The ancient Greeks believed Eros was the force "love," a force they believe was behind all creation.
There are several legends about St.Valentine’s Day. One of the legends says that Valentine was Christian priest who lived in the 3 century A.D. He was put into prison by roman authorities for his teachings and was beheaded on February 14. According to the legend he performed a miracle-he cured his jailer’s daughter of her blindness. Before the execution he wrote her a letter signed “From Your Valentine”. Another legend says that the same Valentine wrote to children and friends who loved him from the jail.
According to another legend, Valentine was an Italian bishop who lived at about the same time. He was thrown into prison because he secretly married couples, contrary to the laws of the Roman empire. The legend says that he was burnt at the stake.
February 14 was also a Roman holiday. On this day young men randomly chose the name of the girl to escort to the festival. The custom of choosing a sweetheart on this day became very popular in the medieval Europe. Later this custom spread to American colonies.
Now, St.Valentine’s Day is the day of sweethearts. On this day, people show their friends relatives and ones that they care. People send candy or flowers to those whom they love. Most people send “valentines”, greeting cards named after St.Valentine’s letters written from jail. Valentines can be sentimental and romantic, or funny and friendly. Valentines can be anonymous. Valentines can be heart-shaped or can carry hearts on them. People buy valentines or make them themselves.
3.Игровая программа.
Today we are having a special Valentine party. There is no party without games and contests. Let me introduce the participants of our show to you. And this is our honorable jury! Applause, please!
Well, let’s start our contest
Contest 1
The first who gives the answer gets the point.
What is the first name for Valentine’s Day? (Lupercalia. The Romans called it so)
Why is the heart an appropriate symbol for Valentine’s Day? (Symbol of love)
What is the color most often used in valentines? (Red, it is a symbol of warmth and feelings. White is the symbol of purity and is a color often used in valentines)
What are some of the most popular gifts given to loved ones and friends on Valentine’s Day? What feelings do these gifts usually express? (Love, warmth, sincerity)
Well, the 1st contest is over. While our jury is summing the results up, try to make up as many words as possible from the word “Valentines” within 2 minutes.
Contest 2
While the participants are making words from the letters let’s play the game “Who stole my heart?” A child sits with her back to the class. Her hands are holding a paper heart. Another child is chosen to walk up as quickly as he can take the heart. He returns to his seat and puts the heart out of sight. The child in front turns around and says: “Who stole my heart? Was it you…?” She has 3 guesses. If she guesses correctly, she stays in front and plays again. If she does not guess correctly, the person who stole the heart gets to go in front.
Are our boys and girls ready? Yea they are. Let our jury look at their words and choose who has got more points.
Contest 3
Now you are having cards with parts of the sentences. Your task is to connect the right halves. The team who is the first to complete the sentences gets the points.
A part of your body is……………………………………….a heart.
A heart-shaped card is………………………………………a valentine
A man who cared for people is………………………………St.Valentine.
A boy who shoots Arrows is…………………………………Cupid.
A kind of flower is …………………………………………..a rose.
A bunch of flowers is………………………………………...a bouquet.
A friendly look is ……………………………………………a smile.
Used with a bow……………………………………………..an arrow.
A fancy material is……………………………………………lace.
A kind of candy is…………………………………………….chocolates.
Contest4
We are beginning our grammar competition! You’ll get a card written on Valentine’s Day. Your task is to read the card carefully and find any mistakes there. The first team gets the points.
Deer, Mary,
I hope that Falentine’s Dai will bring you lots ov fun! I thinks you’re extra-specially nice. And so does everyone!
Best wesh,John.
(While they are correcting mistakes other children get together hearts cut into pieces)
Contest 5
And now we’ll see how good you are at Literature and Art. You should match the famous couples.
Adam
Juliet
Rat Buttler
Lyudmila
Ruslan
Anthony
Romeo
Isolda
Carmen
Scarlet O’Hara
Tristan
Joko
Cleopatra
Josephine
Napoleon
Eve
John Lennon
Don Hose
Contest 6
A Heart Game. (Три разрезанных сердца, на одной части написан вопрос, на другой ответ.) Connect the answers to the questions correctly.
1. Who is the goddess of love?
Aphrodite
2. Who did Cleopatra love?
Mark Anthony
3. Who fall in love with Juliet?
Romeo
Contest 7
Count the hearts painted in the picture. Who is quicker? Our contest has come to an end. I ask our honorable jury to sum everything up and say whose team is the winner. Our congratulations! All participants may take their seats. Now let’s enjoy ourselves playing some games. To start with guess the puzzle. (Наплакатенаписаностихотворение) Tell the name of the girl.
May you answer, “Yes”, my heart
And no longer keep us apart
Remember I love you, dear Valentine
You must be mine as I am thine.
Кто самый умелый и быстрый? Кто быстрее съест яблоко, подвешенное на ниточке?
Кто больше лопнет воздушных шаров, привязанных на ниточках сзади у ребенка?
Распутай путаницу. Дети берутся за руки и, не разжимая рук, меняют местоположение. Водящий должен распутать их.
Отгадай, где сердце. Спрятать сердце под одно из трех ведерок и переставить их местами. Если не угадал, выполни задание:
- Скажи любому поздравление с Днем Св. Валентина.
- Скажи девочке комплимент.
- Сделай красивый реверанс.
5. Кто быстрее найдет в зале как можно больше сердец. Они развешены в качестве украшений.
6. “Найди пару”. Девочки и мальчики получают половинки разрезанных сердец.
Они должны найти свою пару.
Давайте подведем итоги конкурса на лучшую валентинку, который был объявлен раньше.
Сейчас для вас настал еще один приятный сюрприз. Сейчас из Valentine’s Box вы вытащите бумажки с предсказаниями, что вас ожидает в ближайшем будущем. (На бумажках написаны предсказания, типа “Ты встретишь свою будущую любовь в автобусе на следующей неделе”, “Имя человека, которого ты полюбишь, будет состоять из 6 букв” и т. д.
Наше мероприятие подошло к концу и каждый из вас может вручить валентинки своим друзьям
P.S. При составлении данного сценария использовались газеты «Английский язык» и “English”
