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Hi everyone I'm Gina. 14th of February is Valentine's Day and it is an opportunity to show your loved ones how much you care for them.
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In this lesson you're going to learn about Valentine's Day in the UK.
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Roughly how much to the British public spend on Valentine's Day each year?
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We'll show you the answer at the end of this video.
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Valentine's Day used to be a day to admit to your love for someone with an anonymous card.
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Instead of signing the card with your name, people would sign with either a question mark or the words "from your secret admirer".
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Although this still happens, it is now more common to be upfront with your feelings.
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Valentine's Day comes from Saint Valentine, who is widely thought to be a third century saint that died on the 14th of February.
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However, it is possible that there are two Saint Valentine's that are linked to this day.
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The second Saint Valentine died in the second century and is also said to have died on the 14th of February.
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As well as Valentine's Day cards, people also buy gifts for their loved ones.
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Popular gifts include chocolates, flowers, or stuffed toys holding Valentine's Day hearts or flowers.
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Anyone can give presents, but there is a higher expectation placed on men to buy good gifts for their girlfriends and vice versa on Valentine's Day.
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Although Valentine's Day is traditionally a day for lovers, it is also a day to express your feelings to anyone that you love.
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Parents may send cards to their children and you can even buy Valentine's Day cards to your pets!
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And now I'll give you the answer to the earlier quiz.
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Roughly how much do the British public spend on Valentine's Day each year?
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In 2011, it was calculated that the British public spend around £503 million on Valentine's Day cards and gifts each year.
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That can buy a lot of chocolates and flowers.
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How was this lesson? Did you learn something interesting?
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Do you have a special day for lovers in your country?
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Leave us a comment at English class101.com and we'll see you in the next lesson!
