March 19 Calendar – There are many holiday celebrations which take place during February. Presidents Day, Valentine’s Day, Groundhog Day and meteor showers are a few of these. There are many ancient Roman celebrations on different days.
February 14th
Valentine’s Day celebrates love and passion every February 14. The Middle Ages are the time that Valentine’s Day was first celebrated. This was the time when courtly love as well as sacraments were still common.
It was believed to be a day of celebration which honored love between romantic partners and close friends in the 14th-century. Valentine’s Day was a day that was a time for lovers and friends to give gifts, flowers and cards.
Commercial cards were introduced in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. The demand for postcards that were printed in bulk was also growing. These postcards were also popular in shops as they could be displayed in themed designs.
Purchasing your special someone an item of chocolate or candy together with a card or flower, is a traditional Valentine’s Day tradition. It is also possible to gift them jewelry.
February 2nd.
Groundhog Day falls on February 2. Groundhog Day is observed each year in Canada on February 2.
The idea for this celebration came from an ancient belief that originated among Pennsylvanians from the Dutch. The practice of forecasting weather was brought to the United States through German immigrants. PunxsutawneyPhil, a Pennsylvania groundhog who makes meteorological predictions all through winter.
The whole thing began when researchers discovered a mouse that hibernated throughout the winter. The initial plan was to forecast six weeks of each season by studying how animals responded to conditions.
Groundhogs are part of the Sciuridae which is a tiny family of hairy mammals. It hibernates throughout winter. Groundhog Day is a common day on which they are looking out from their burrows.
Christmas Day
The third Monday of February the President’s Daylight is recognized as an American holiday. The holiday honors the previous American presidents. The Presidents’ Day was typically a day of celebration to honor Lincoln as well as Washington.
It’s a national holiday which not all states observe even though it is one. Some states honor the birthdays of both presidents on the same day, but others only honor only one. Although Presidents’ day is now a common thing however, it is a good opportunity to honor all U.S. presidents and especially Lincoln.
There is a complicated history that explains Presidents Day. The Washington’s Birthday was the original title of the holiday. Today Presidents’ Day is the official title.
Washington’s birthday, also known by the title Washington’s Day was a well-known non-official holiday. In the late 1870s, it was made a federal holiday. In response, Congress passed Uniform Monday Holiday Law.
Meteors hurling storms
Every year, Earth moves around the sun. Every year, small meteors fall into space. They can appear almost anywhere in the sky. Some showers are more stunning then others. It is usually the nighttime moment to view.
One of the biggest and most spectacular meteor showers that occurs throughout the year is the Perseids. This is because Comet 109P/Swift Tuttle was the cause of it. Although it won’t be visible from the Northern Hemisphere due to the huge fireballs observed within the Southern Hemisphere, it is worth observing from there.
Four meteor showers of significance occur every year. One of them is Quadrantid. Its short , but massive peak is what makes it the most well-known. Another well-known for its odd spikes is the Lyrid. Additionally, the Geminid is famous for its attractive appearance.
Roman holiday celebrations in antiquity
The Lupercalia was one of the most loved holidays in ancient Rome. The month of February was when a fertility-cleansing ceremony was conducted. In this ceremony it was a time when priests offered sacrifices to animals on the altar next to the Lapis Naiger. The animal’s blood was dumped in the hearth. The grain fields were thought to benefit from its protection and fertility.
Ludi Ceriales was another celebration to honor Ceres the goddess of harvest. Since the year 202 BC, Ludi Ceriales celebrations were recorded.
Other well-known Roman festivities are Neptunalia, Saturnalia and Vestalia. The celebrations were originally celebrated to honor Mars, the godof war.
Roman working weeks had eight days. There were two periods of each day: the morning and the afternoon. A nundin was eight days long, and the 29 remaining days were the remainder.