2014-02-11          February 14!

In the Gregorian (solar) calendar, February 14 is Saint Valentine's Day.
In the lunar calendar, the 15th day of the first month is akin to Valentine's Day.
This year both days fall on the same day: this coming Friday.

The last time both days fell on the same day was 1995. The next time will be 2033.
Restaurant owners no doubt would prefer separate dates, so that couples will go out for a special meal twice rather than once.

If you Google "Saint Valentine" you'll find many legends about a Christian priest who died in the year 496.  Legends are stories that may or may not be true. Romantic legends associated with Valentine led to his feast day being regarded as a special day for lovers.

One thing for sure: in Hong Kong as in many other parts of the world, Valentine's Day is a very important occasion for couples, young and old. And this year doubly important. So, I wish all dear Ming Pao readers a Happy Valentine's Day!