So I was wondering...

[Neige]

Why is it that you Anglos shorten Saint Valentine's Day to Valentine's Day, but Saint Patrick's Day obviously remains a saint's day? :irish: This is all the more confusing to me since St. Patrick's Day celebration are far more pagan than Saint Valentine's Day celebrations, wouldn't you say? :cheers:

Anyone know the reason or have a theory??? :wobbly:

[gekkogecko]

Why is it that you Anglos shorten Saint Valentine's Day to Valentine's Day, but Saint Patrick's Day obviously remains a saint's day?

Well, when I've heard it shortened, the usual form is St Patty's Day. YMMV.

This is all the more confusing to me since St. Patrick's Day celebration are far more pagan than Saint Valentine's Day celebrations, wouldn't you say?

Not at all...how so?

[Lord Snow]

I'm to young to remember it being St. Valentine's Day. It's always been Valentine's day to me. Maybe it's because there is no real way to shorten Valentine like you can Patrick to Patty?

[Oldfart]

St Valentine's day was taken over by commercial interests, lost all it's religious connotations, sold a zillion cards, roses and chocolates so it was right to be deconsacrated.

St Patricks Day has been a feast-day which has stubbornly resisted commercialisation, with the slight exception of the liquour trade and bakers who make those ridiculous green loaves of bread. It is a time of peaceful inclusion and harmony in the best traditions of Christianity (leaving out crusades, inquisitions and predatory clergy), a rarity in today's world.

It's leaps and bounds ahead of Christmas and Easter also.

[Neige]

This is all the more confusing to me since St. Patrick's Day celebration are far more pagan than Saint Valentine's Day celebrations, wouldn't you say?

Not at all...how so?

Well, in my part of Canada, anyway, Saint Patrick's Day is simply a night/weekend to get drunk. At least Saint Valentine's Day is still a celebration of love.

Oldfart, why do you say it's better than Easter and Christmas? I'm not familiar with its qualities of inclusion and harmony.

[Oldfart]

On St Pat's everyone's Irish (sorry Tom) and people of diverse ethnicity and religion can sit together, sing Irish Songs and drink Guinness or Kilkenny. There is no pressure to buy gifts or cards and it is not internally centred. It is a vast outgushing of plain, dumb bonhomie.

[dicksbro]

And, as I understand it, in Ireland it's a fairly somber religious (and national) holiday commemorating St. Patrick who brought Christianity to Ireland. Everywhere else (?), it's much more a fun day and OF's explanation really applies.