Silver Mine Gifts Blog

The symbols of Celtic culture and heritage have become a very popular visual style in modern times, even though most of the symbols are many centuries old. There is something intrinsically beautiful, however, about the Celtic knots and crosses that captivates people today, whether they are descendant from Celtic heritage or not. Unfortunately, the meanings of these symbols are not entirely clear. Although there are many stories and theories, and some of these explanations quite old themselves, there are few definitive facts about these Celtic icons.

The fleur-de-lis (also spelled fleur-de-lys) is a religious, political, and cultural symbol that has been a significant visual for centuries. The name comes from French and translates to “flower of the lily” (or simply “lily flower”). Some feel that despite its name, the fleur-de-lis is actually derived from an iris. The fleur-de-lis is often colored yellow or gold, and although lilies are never yellow, irises can be. Additionally, there is a visual similarity between the fleur-de-lis and the iris, though this connection raises a mystery regarding the link to the lily and the origin of the name.

In 2012, February 22^nd marks Ash Wednesday, the day that begins the Christian season of Lent, forty days of dedication and sacrifice in preparation for the Easter holiday. The start of Lent, however, indirectly created another holiday: Fat Tuesday. This is the day before Ash Wednesday and has become an occasion to celebrate and indulge before giving up certain foods during Lent. Traditionally, sweets and fat have been a common item for Christians to abstain from during Lent, so Fat Tuesday became the day when they would have a final taste of their favorite treat before giving it up.

Along with flowers and jewelry, chocolate is a staple of Valentine’s Day gifts. Although chocolate and chocolate products are popular all year round and also have a special place in holidays like Halloween, Christmas, and Easter, there is a different component to Valentine’s Day chocolate: romance. Rather than being shaped like Christmas trees or rabbits or ghosts, the majority of Valentine’s candy is shaped like a heart (or packaged in a heart shape) to show love and affection. British candy manufacturer Cadbury is believed to be the first company to sell chocolates in a heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day when they thought of the idea in the 1860s. This boosted both the sale of chocolates and the overall profile of Valentine’s Day. However, the connection between chocolate and Valentine’s Day goes back further than this.

Valentine’s Day can be a great chance to show the people in our lives that we care about them. Whether it’s your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife, taking a night out of the normal schedule and doing something special is a nice way to celebrate your relationship. However, it can be difficult to know what kind of date to plan, especially if you have been with someone for enough time that you have tried many different types of dates. Here are some ideas for a change up on an ordinary date – but ones that still doesn’t require too much expense or advance planning.