Category Archives: Valentine’s Day

India urges citizens to ‘hug a cow’ on Valentine’s Day

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Campaign seeks to boost traditional Indian values and offset ‘dazzle of western civilisation’

The Indian government has urged people to set aside the “western” traditions of Valentine’s Day and instead celebrate the occasion by cuddling up with the country’s sacred cows.

In a new appeal, 14 February has been declared Cow Hug Day, when people are encouraged to take the animals into an embrace. Cows are holy within Hinduism, the majority religion in India, and are considered sacred animals across the country.

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‘Get into bed and see what happens’ – and nine other tips to revive a tired relationship

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Given enough time, even the most loving couple can get sick of each other. Roll back the years with this Valentine’s Day refresher

“At what point do you think a relationship becomes a long-term relationship?” I ask my boyfriend, while sitting on the toilet having a post-dinner wee. He is in front of the mirror, trimming the single thick black hair that grows out from a mole on his cheek. Our son is in the bath next to us, squirting water from one stainless steel mixing bowl into the other using a Calpol syringe.

“About here,” he says, gesturing towards the room, past my naked thighs, with a pair of nail scissors.

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Together forever: lessons for lifelong lovers

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After that initial attraction, what keeps a couple together? And as we change and grow over the years, how do we make sure we move in the same direction? Philippa Perry and five other relationship experts on how to keep that loving feeling

Him: “What are you doing?”
Me: “I’ve got to write 500 words on ‘keeping love alive’, before I go out.”
Him: “What? In case it all changes, when you go?”

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‘I never imagined it would be so long’: the couples kept apart by Covid rules

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Many long-distance couples are spending Valentine’s Day apart because of travel restrictions

Helen Riddle’s husband, Tim, hasn’t been home in almost a year. He left the UK in March last year for what was supposed to be two weeks, and Covid-19 measures have prevented his return. His Christmas presents wait for him under the tree their three children insist on keeping up until he gets back.

Tim is a pilot who flies medical equipment around the world. Though he has lived in Hong Kong for the past six years, he would normally come home every six to eight weeks. Before he left again in March, Helen says they begged him not to go but he had no choice but to return to work. “At that point I thought: ‘We’re not going to see him for a while,’ but I never, ever imagined it would be as long as it has been.”

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Hammersmith Bridge illuminated in Valentine’s message to government

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Residents project red illumination on closed west London landmark to highlight delays to repair

Hammersmith Bridge has been illuminated bright red in a Valentine’s Day stunt aimed at highlighting delays to its repair.

The 133-year-old west London bridge has been closed to traffic since April 2019 when cracks appeared in its pedestals. It then closed to pedestrian, cyclist and river traffic in August after a heatwave caused the faults to “significantly increase”.

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Japanese lose taste for Valentine’s ‘obligation chocs’ under Covid

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Growing numbers of women ditch giri choco custom of ‘forced giving’ of gifts to senior male colleagues

Shifting gender politics and the coronavirus have combined to spell the possible end of the Japanese Valentine’s Day custom of women giving chocolates to male colleagues.

Traditionally, women are expected to buy gift-wrapped chocolates for the men in their working lives – usually senior colleagues and others who have helped them during the course of the year – as part of a tradition called giri choco, literally “obligation chocolates”.

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Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipes for Valentine’s Day

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A three-course showpiece to prep in advance, so you can spend more time with your better half: burnt aubergine with feta and harissa oil, prawns in vanilla and rum butter, and a chocolatey coffee mousse to finish

This time last year, many of us were looking forward to a special, one-to-one supper with a loved one. The partner we live with, for example, but perhaps forget to go on dates with; a special meal, quality time, stories saved up to be shared. The past year has, of course, brought a whole new meaning to the idea of “quality time”, and I’m not sure anyone has any great stories they’ve saved for this Valentine’s dinner. Be kind and cut yourself some slack: forget about the top new chat and focus instead on a top new meal. Pat yourself on the back for making it this far, and raise a large glass of something you adore.

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Japanese women push back against Valentine’s tradition of ‘obligation chocolate’

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For many, pressure to avoid causing offence by spending thousands of yen on treats for coworkers is becoming intolerable

Japanese women are pushing back against a tradition that dictates they must give chocolates to male colleagues on Valentine’s Day, with growing anger at the practice of “forced giving”.

Until recently, women in the workplace were expected to buy chocolates for their male workmates as part of a tradition called giri choco – literally, obligation chocolates.

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Ideas to redraw maps beat deadline in gerrymandering case

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FILE - In this June 30, 2015, file photo, front from left to right, Pennsylvania state Sen. Jake Corman, R-Centre, state House Majority Leader Dave Reed, R-Indiana, state Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati, R-Je... . FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2016, file photo, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., left, U.S. Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa., center left, and U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., right, watch as President-elect Donald Trump, center right, departs... It's deadline day in Pennsylvania's gerrymandering case for Gov. Tom Wolf and others to submit maps of new congressional district boundaries that they want the state Supreme Court to adopt.