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[diverged_fate]

Okay so... I'm curious. I've heard a couple people mention it... What's this 'Valentines day' holiday about?

I can kinda remember back when I was a kid... [Creasing his forehead trying to do that.] Bringing stuff to school, and you had to hand 'em out to all your friends. Something like that. So is it another kid's holiday? Christmas definitely

Comments

[thenotmagician]

One of th'best holidays ever.

[diverged_fate]

C'mon, is that all you're gonna tell me? [Laugh goes here.]

[thenotmagician]

S'a holiday where y'give everyone y'care about presents an' shit. Kinda like Christmas, but it's got more of a personal thing. Tend t'see a lotta pink and hearts.

[diverged_fate]

Okay, so... yeah it's kinda like I remember it. So it's not just a kid thing?

[betterthanraph]

Romantics call it the day of love, cynics call it worldwide commercialism at its best.

Most people just see it as a good excuse to eat tons of chocolate.

[diverged_fate]

It really doesn't sound that different from the Christmas one. Just a different focus...

I'm not sure why you'd need an excuse for that.

[betterthanraph]

Essentially, yes. Though I think the backstory on Saint Valentine's been lost over the years. ...I don't know it, anyway.

[diverged_fate]

Huh. A friend of mine is giving me the details, so... unless your world's different, I guess some people still know the history.

Saint Valentine. Makes me wonder what the guy would think of his own holiday.

[meinxxherz]

From, uhm, what I--I've read, Valentines day is named after a--a-a Christian martyr, Saint Valentines, who was sentenced to death for--f-for-for preforming marriages for soldiers when, uhm, w-well, after it had been outlawed. It's a celebration of, uhm, o-o-of romance and, uh, romantic relationships.

February 14 uh, was--was also the Roman celebration of Juno, the--the-the Goddess of marriage. That, and--and women. So it's...it makes sense both ways.

I dunno, when, uh, wh-when--when you're younger, it's more of a, y'know, a-a-a celebration of all types of relationships, not just...romantic love. That's uh, that--that's kinda how I still see it...

[Having only had all of one romantic relationship that lasted for, uh, two weeks.]

[diverged_fate]

[You've got his total attention. Now this explanation is detailed and interesting and...history. The Lordsmen altered a lot of holidays as they chose or left them out entirely.]

So it's a religious crossbreed, kinda. No wonder... For kids and adults, but a little different if you're an adult.

'Love', huh? [He manages to make the word sound foreign.]

[meinxxherz]

Yeah...

[He...doesn't know if he should touch on that...love thing. He doesn't really trust himself to do it any justice.]

A--a-a lot...well...

All of the Christian Holidays are kinda based off of, uhm, pagan festivals and celebrations. And--a-and practically all of the holidays celebrated in the west are Christian.

...uhm, e-except this one called the--the Fourth of July. And...well, I-I dunno if the holidays for parents have Christian roots.

[diverged_fate]

[Awkward conversation would probably end up getting really awkward if he did.]

That's... probably why we... [A pause. Did he just say 'we?' Oh hell no...] The people I grew up with. They don't celebrate most of them, and that's probably why.

The Fourth of July... that one I kinda remember too. Fireworks. Now THAT I miss. I guess I was big into them as a kid.

[axemeaquestion]

You don't know Valentines?

[diverged_fate]

Not really... not since I was a kid, like I said.

[axemeaquestion]

You get the grand explanation, yet? Basically, celebration of love and all that good stuff.

[diverged_fate]

Something like that. Funny thing is... every explanation was kinda different.

[ttlyisabard]

What I read of the history seems weird and I don't know why it's connected to what it is ... but holiday's change.

It's an excuse to tell someone who you like that you like them. Or to reaffirm your love with someone you already love. At least that's what I've figured out ...

You're not from Earth either?

[diverged_fate]

Yeah, they do. Or they get wiped out entirely sometimes...

Okay... [This is interesting. He's getting a slightly different answer each time.] Sounds like this holiday counts for a lot of things.

I'm from Earth. It's just... not a lot like Earth used to be.

[ttlyisabard]

Are you from before or after most of the people here? Or is it just different?

[diverged_fate]

After... maybe not. Actually I kinda hope not. They're probably from their own Earth in some other dimension.