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VALENTINE'S DAY, WEDDINGS and HAND-FASTINGS

Beautiful, romantic and meaningful items - symbols of love from your heart to the one you love

Click here for the History of St Valentine
Click here for a list of gemstones and traditional gifts by Wedding Anniversary

History of St Valentine

In Ancient Rome, the date of February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno the Queen of Roman Goddesses and Gods. Juno was known as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and they would then be partners for the duration of the festival. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year and often they would fall in love and later marry.

This ritual under the laws of Emperor Claudius II was banned, as he believed the reason men would not go to war was because they did not want to leave their lovers or families. As a result, all marriages and engagements were cancelled. However a Roman priest named Valentine married these couples in secret and for this he was executed as a martyr on 14th February 270AD. It is said that while Valentine was in jail he fell in love with the jailer's blind daughter and left her a farewell note, which he signed 'From Your Valentine'. Valentine was later canonised and February 14th was the date set to honour him. Gradually February 14th became the date for exchanging love messages, and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers.

Gemstones and Traditional Gifts by Wedding Anniversary

ANNIVERSARY GEMSTONES (ALTERNATIVE STONES) TRADITIONAL GIFTS (MODERN GIFTS)
1st Peridot Paper (Clocks)
2nd Garnet Cotton (China)
3rd Pearls (Jade) Leather (Crystal)
4th Blue Topaz Fruit/Flowers (Appliances)
5th Sapphire (Pink Tourmaline) Wood (Silverware)
6th Amethyst (Turquoise) Iron (Wood)
7th Onyx (Yellow Sapphire, Golden Beryl) Wood/Copper (Desk Sets)
8th Tourmaline (Tanzanite) Bronze/Pottery (Linen/Lace)
9th Lapis Lazuli (Amethyst, Green Spinel) Pottery/Willow (Leather)
10th Diamond (Blue Sapphire) Tin/Alluminium (Diamond Jewellery)
11th Turquoise (Citrine, Yellow Zircon) Steel (Fashion Jewelllery)
12th Jade (Opal) Silk/Linen (Pearls)
13th Citrine (Moonstone, Hawk's Eye) Lace (Textiles)
14th Opal (Agate, Bloodstone) Ivory (Gold Jewellery)
15th Ruby (Rhodolite Garnet, Alexandrite, Quartz) Crystal (Watches)
16th Peridot (Red Spinel, Topaz) Silverware
17th Carnelian (Amethyst) Furniture
18th Cat's Eye (Aquamarine, Garnet) Porcelain
19th Aquamarine (Almandine Garnet) Bronze
20th Emerald (Yellow or Golden Diamond) China (Platinum)
21st Iolite Brass/Nickel
22nd Spinel Copper
23rd Imperial Topaz (Sapphire) Silver Plate
24th Tanzanite Musical Instruments
25th = Silver Anniversary Tsavorite (Green Garnet) Silver
30th = Pearl Anniversary Pearls Pearls
35th Emerald (Coral, Jade) Coral (Jade)
40th = Ruby Anniversary Ruby Ruby
45th Sapphire Sapphire
50th = Golden Anniversary Imperial or Golden Topaz Gold
55th Alexandrite (Emerald) Emerald
60th = Diamond Anniversary Diamonds (Star Ruby) Diamonds
65th = Sapphire Anniversary Sapphire (Blue Spinel) Sapphire
70th = Platinum Anniversary Platinum (Smoky Quartz) Platinum
75th = Diamond Anniversary Diamonds (Star Ruby) Diamonds
80th = Ruby Anniversary Ruby Oak
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