NetBet is really getting to the heart of Valentine’s Day this year.
You’ve got the card, the flowers and the chocolates all ready for the big day, the most romantic day of the year. You have the perfect dinner recipe to surprise your loved one with and hired the babysitter months in advance. You’re prepared, and you know everything there is to know about Valentine’s Day, right? Right?
Throughout history, right the way back to St Valentine himself, there have been many different ways of celebrating the day of love, whether it’s remembering the holiday as a springtime festival or as a wider celebration of love. Many of the recognisable traditions that put emphasis on romance originate in the UK and are becoming a worldwide phenomenon that is spreading all over the world like a plague made of paper hearts and rose petals. But there are a few cultural traditions that are holding strong against the Valentine’s Day globalisation.
The most famous, albeit most tragic, of lovers are Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a couple that come from the same country as St Valentine himself. In their home of Verona, residents and tourists alike celebrate a four-day long Valentine’s celebration with a love-letter writing contest to see who has the most romantic way with words. If it’s a bit too late to book your flight to Italy, NetBet can give you a taste of the festivities with the Romeo slot. With well-wrapped gifts, champagne and diamond rings featuring as the pay symbols, you will soon be experiencing big wins as well as love through the ages. The red rose wild and heart-shaped ruby multiplier are the just the finishing touches needed to complete this romantic game.
Devotees of St Valentine in Ireland, and all over the word, can come and worship the martyr at the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Dublin where a reliquary of his remains is enshrined. The relics came to the church in 1836, when an Irish Carmelite preacher returned from Rome with gifts from Pope Gregory XVI. Such was his preaching and his work with Dublin’s poor, that he was received with honour at the Vatican and the pope presented him with the remains of St Valentine. To this day, couples come to pray and take part in the feast day celebrations every year on 14th of February.
England has a few forgotten traditions such as Norfolk’s mythological figure of ‘Jack’ who is a sort of Father Christmas of Valentine’s Day and comes knocking at your back door to leave treats for children. Unlike Santa though, children tend to fear ‘Jack’ and try to catch a glimpse of him without being seen themselves.
Another lost English tradition is trying to conjure dreams of your future love. This practice, which used to be done by women on Valentine’s Day, involved putting five bay leaves on their pillow before bed, one at each corner and one at the centre. Some variations also involved soaking the leaves in rose water beforehand to help you drift into dreamland. If you want to evoke this scented ritual could try NetBet’s Secret Romance slot, the single rose, heart-shaped rose wreaths and rose perfume bottle pay symbols are sure to bring sweet dreams. But what of? There are also gems, diamond rings and love letters making up the wilds and the scatters, which could be a glimpse of your romantic future.
In Wales, Valentine’s Day often gets overlooked in favour of a holiday known as St Dwynwen’s Day, which is celebrated on the 25th of January. St Dwynwen is the patron saint of Welsh lovers and a traditional gift is not chocolate or roses but an intricately carved wooden spoon, embellished with symbols with special meanings. If you want to declare your growing love, decorate your spoon with leaves or a daffodil and if a wedding is in the future, bells or crosses are traditional.
Did you know that in China and other Asian countries, it has become the custom for young women to take charge and present their lovers with gifts on Valentine’s Day. But men are not off the hook that easily, their day comes exactly a month later on the 14th of March when they celebrate White Day by giving a returning gift, typically worth more than the Valentine they received. To get you in such a mood, NetBet has the best Asian-themed slot, Lotus Love. While you’re waiting for your girlfriend to give you the perfect present, you can enjoy the 50 paylines and spin symbols represented by flower bouquets, red envelopes full of money and wedding cake wilds. Find three scatter symbols to trigger 10 Free Spins and be on your way to big wins.
So, there’s lots more to think about beyond chocolate and roses on the day that’s all about love. I’m sure Valentine’s Day will be perfect whatever you make of it and, who knows, you could start making your own new traditions to start passing on. While you’re finishing up the perfect love letter (or carving that perfect wooden spoon!) why not try a few spins of our love-themed slots this Valentine’s Day.
