COLOMBIA NEWS – Colombians will be celebrating an very special day tomorrow, the “Día del Amor y la Amistad” (Day of Love and Friendship).
Around the world, most countries celebrate Valentine’s Day in February. In Colombia it is celebrated on the third Saturday of each September.
In Colombia, the celebration is not just one single day, rather the entire weekend. Many businesses holdspecial promotions, such as women drinking free (good for all you chicas out there), or two-for-one meals. All in all, it’s pretty difficult to escape the celebration, and just as well because Colombians know how to do it right.
Unlike in some countries, where the celebration is more of a forced one with the traditional giving of roses and chocholates or a quick dinner out, in Colombia it’s all about toasting friends with a shot of aguardiente, a bottle of beer and nice ‘parcero”.
Valentine’s Day’s origin dates back to ancient Rome, an era when there was a ban against marriage, placed by Emperor Claudius II, who believed that single men made better soldiers. Nonetheless, Valentine, a priest and a zealous romantic, chose to continue to marry young couples in spite of the emperor’s ruling. The priest’s insubordination resulted in him being jailed. But, while imprisoned, Valentine feel in love with a women who frequently visited him and, before his death, he wrote her a charming love note, henceforth known as a “valentine.” There are other origin stories, however, involving the Pagan Lupercalia festival, which is a pre-Roman festival observed on Feb. 13 through 15 to avert evil spirits and purify the city, and Pope Gelasius, who is credited for establishing Valentine’s Day.
