Fun
FAQs & Helpful Hints
Flash
Your Valentine!
I
just wouldn't feel right if I didn't grab an opportunity to pass
some obscure historical facts your way. So, as my Valentine's Day
present to you, I've composed a brief history of how this holiday
came to be.
St. Valentine's Day, like so many Western holidays, has its origins
in ancient Rome. The Lupercalia, held annually on February 15, was
one of Rome's oldest and most important festivals. During the Lupercalia,
young men would go into the hills, sacrifice goats, get drunk and
then race into the city wearing goatskin loincloths and whipping
citizens with goatskin thongs. Later Romans added a tradition of
drawing names to exchange gifts and love tokens.
The Christian church, of course, tried to dissuade its members from
participating in such pagan festivals. An early attempt had people
drawing names of saints and then trying to emulate the virtues embodied
by the saint they chose. Not too suprisingly, this attempt fell
quite flat. The church then established a holiday to commemorate
Saint Valentine.
Legend has it that Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome under the
rule of Emperor Claudius II. The emperor, theorizing that single
men made better soldiers than married ones, outlawed marriage for
young men. Valentine defied Cladius and continued to perform marriages
for young lovers. When the emperor learned of this, he had Valentine
imprisoned and sentenced him to death.
While in prison, the story goes, Valentine healed a young girl (possibly
his jailor's daughter) and the two promptly fell in love. She visited
him regularly and tried to win his pardon, but to no avail. Shortly
before his execution, on February 14, Valentine sent one last letter
to his beloved. He signed it, "From your Valentine."
The fact that Valentinus was most likely a chaste man with no knowledge
of love has not stopped his becoming one of the most recognizable
symbols of romance in the western world. Today, people young and
old exchange cards, gifts and candy bearing the words, "Be
My Valentine." Special effects gurus are not immune to the
Valentine's Day spirit, although we like to add a little more pizzaz
to our romantic messages.
A flash paper rose is a unique way to show how you feel and demonstrate
your pyrotechnic prowess at the same time. Using red and green Premium
Flash Paper, construct a paper long-stemmed rose. After your intended
sweetie has had a moment to admire its beauty, ignite the "stem"
with a Thumb Thing or similar device. Add an appropriate comment
like, "I get all fired up thinking of you." If the object
of your affection shares your interest in pyrotechnics (you lucky
guy!) you may want to have some extra paper on hand so that she
can make her own present for you.
If roses are beyond your skill as a paper-folder, try making Valentine's
Day cards out of white and red Premium Flash Paper. Cut the paper
into Valentine-y shapes (hearts, cupids, etc) and write an appropriate
message such as "You're Too Hot To Handle," or "You
Set My Heart on Fire." Exchange the cards during a quiet dinner
and then use them to start a romantic fire.
Of course, you cynics out there can always make anti-Valentine cards
from black and green Premium Flash Paper. Cut the paper into unromantic
shapes -- better yet, leave it square -- and write messages such
as "Bah!" and "Valentines are for Weenies."
Burn the cards in an old ashtray. Sulk.
However you choose to celebrate the holiday, remember to order your
supplies soon. Premium Flash Paper is shipped wet with water and
will require about twenty-four hours to dry completely. And you
should always use care when working with any pyrotechnic product.
Nothing spoils a romantic evening faster than singeing your date's
eyebrows!
*********************************************
Theatre Effects Customer Service Department
service@theatrefx.com
www.theatrefx.com
Theatre Effects, 642 Frederick St., Hagerstown, MD 21740
Phone: 1-800-791-7646 or 301-791-7646 Fax: 301-791-7719 *********************************************
Copyright Notice - no portion of this article may
be reproduced without written permission. You may place a link to
this page on your website provided you do not hide it within a frame
or window.
|
