Hitskin.com
Home
Valentione's Day (01/25/2011)
History
Currently observed throughout Eorzea,
Valentione's Day was originally established to pay tribute to Countess
Arabelle de Valentione of Ishgard—a remarkable woman who exhibited
unparalleled courage in her quest for true love. In present day, it has
become an occasion on which people express feelings of love and
gratitude to those most important in their lives. This is commonly done
via the exchange of simple chocolate bon-bons crafted specially by the
giver.
While in recent years there have been
complaints that the true spirit of the day has been grossly
perverted—now little more than a marketing ploy conjured up by the
Culinarians' Guild and the Company of Eorzean Kukuru Growers to increase
sales of their products—this does not take away from the fact that
countless people across the realm use this tradition to bring happiness
to others. And isn't that what the countess would have wanted?
House Valentione Coat-of-Arms*
Duration
From midnight on Tuesday, February 1, 2011 to 6:59 a.m. on Tuesday, February 15 (PST).
How to Participate
Compared to most popular Eorzean festivals,
Valentione's Day can seem fairly low-key. While some celebrations
feature city-wide parades, lavish decorations, and various other manners
of bacchanalian revelry, Valentione's Day is truly more about an
individual's quest to muster the courage to conquer his own fears of
rejection. It is for this reason the realm does not see any dramatic
changes for the duration of the festivities. This, however, does not
mean people are on their own in preparing for the holiday. City-states
provide free portions of powdered sugar—a rare sweetener imported from
far-away lands to the south, and usually only reserved for the noble
classes—with which Valentione chocolates are created. To receive a
pinch, citizens need only ring one of the many special bells erected in
convenient locations within Limsa Lominsa, Gridania, and Ul'dah.
Each year, there are those who feel inclined to bring attention to the
fact that these bells closely resemble those used during other
festivals, such as the recent starlight celebration. It is unfortunate
that these people must concentrate on the negative when the true meaning
behind Valentione's Day is about expressing gratitude to a fellow
friend or companion—something that should not require unnecessary
displays of extravagance.
Bell Locations
Limsa Lominsa (Upper Decks/Lower Decks)
Gridania
Ul'dah (Merchant Strip/Hustings Strip)
Powdered sugar can
be received once every eight hours (earth time), starting the first time
a bell is rung. Up to six servings of the ingredient will be stored for
each person in the event that periodical returns to the bell prove
difficult.
Making a Valentione's Day Treat
Chocolate is a popular gift given during the Valentione's Day celebration. The two most common recipes used are as follows:
* House Valentione Coat-of-Arms
"Courage Begets Love"
The heart-shaped escutcheon used in her
house's coat-of-arms was added after the death of Countess Arabelle, in
remembrance of the similarly shaped shield she oft carried into battle.
As Valentione's Day became more popular, the
story of Countess Arabelle and her crimson shield became more and more
widespread, in turn, transforming the shield into a symbol of fortune
and happiness. Two centuries ago, the Culinarians' Guild was finally
successful in obtaining permission from the House Valentione to use a
representation of the coat-of-arms on their festive chocolates.
History
Currently observed throughout Eorzea,
Valentione's Day was originally established to pay tribute to Countess
Arabelle de Valentione of Ishgard—a remarkable woman who exhibited
unparalleled courage in her quest for true love. In present day, it has
become an occasion on which people express feelings of love and
gratitude to those most important in their lives. This is commonly done
via the exchange of simple chocolate bon-bons crafted specially by the
giver.
While in recent years there have been
complaints that the true spirit of the day has been grossly
perverted—now little more than a marketing ploy conjured up by the
Culinarians' Guild and the Company of Eorzean Kukuru Growers to increase
sales of their products—this does not take away from the fact that
countless people across the realm use this tradition to bring happiness
to others. And isn't that what the countess would have wanted?
House Valentione Coat-of-Arms*
Duration
From midnight on Tuesday, February 1, 2011 to 6:59 a.m. on Tuesday, February 15 (PST).
How to Participate
Compared to most popular Eorzean festivals,
Valentione's Day can seem fairly low-key. While some celebrations
feature city-wide parades, lavish decorations, and various other manners
of bacchanalian revelry, Valentione's Day is truly more about an
individual's quest to muster the courage to conquer his own fears of
rejection. It is for this reason the realm does not see any dramatic
changes for the duration of the festivities. This, however, does not
mean people are on their own in preparing for the holiday. City-states
provide free portions of powdered sugar—a rare sweetener imported from
far-away lands to the south, and usually only reserved for the noble
classes—with which Valentione chocolates are created. To receive a
pinch, citizens need only ring one of the many special bells erected in
convenient locations within Limsa Lominsa, Gridania, and Ul'dah.
Each year, there are those who feel inclined to bring attention to the
fact that these bells closely resemble those used during other
festivals, such as the recent starlight celebration. It is unfortunate
that these people must concentrate on the negative when the true meaning
behind Valentione's Day is about expressing gratitude to a fellow
friend or companion—something that should not require unnecessary
displays of extravagance.
Bell Locations
Limsa Lominsa (Upper Decks/Lower Decks)
 |  |
Gridania
 |
Ul'dah (Merchant Strip/Hustings Strip)
 | |  |
Powdered sugar can
be received once every eight hours (earth time), starting the first time
a bell is rung. Up to six servings of the ingredient will be stored for
each person in the event that periodical returns to the bell prove
difficult.
Making a Valentione's Day Treat
Chocolate is a popular gift given during the Valentione's Day celebration. The two most common recipes used are as follows:
| Item | Required Rank | Ingredients | |
 | Heart Chocolate | Culinarian (lv.1–10) | Bubble Chocolate ×3 Powdered Sugar ×1 |
 | White Chocolate | Culinarian (lv.1–10) | Pearl Chocolate ×3 Powdered Sugar ×1 |
* House Valentione Coat-of-Arms
"Courage Begets Love"
The heart-shaped escutcheon used in her
house's coat-of-arms was added after the death of Countess Arabelle, in
remembrance of the similarly shaped shield she oft carried into battle.
As Valentione's Day became more popular, the
story of Countess Arabelle and her crimson shield became more and more
widespread, in turn, transforming the shield into a symbol of fortune
and happiness. Two centuries ago, the Culinarians' Guild was finally
successful in obtaining permission from the House Valentione to use a
representation of the coat-of-arms on their festive chocolates.
