It has grown to be so commonplace that we often neglect to realize the significance of the name: San Francisco, Santa Maria and Saint Louis, for instance, are all named for those deemed to be saints.

In the Catholic faith, believers on earth are part of the same spiritual body as those who have passed on. Moreover, each is able to provide solace to the other through prayer.

Naming Peter as the Patron Saint of the basilica bearing his name, then, is to declare his special concern for the site and the people who gather there. One who visits Saint Peter’s may feel led to ask the Saint for a special favor, or to act as an intercessor and champion the believer’s concern before the Heavenly throne.

Over the years, the practice grew. Not only churches, but entire towns, claimed a Patron Saint. Then particular trades or crafts determined who in Heaven most looked over them. And finally, individual cares, cases, concerns and families were deemed under the protection of a particular Saint.

For instance, consider the following Saints and their guardianships:

• Matthew for accountants
• Agnes of Rome for Girl Scouts
• Martha for waiters and waitresses
• John Bosco for Mexican youth
• Bridget for Sweden
• Teresa of Avila for headaches
• Matt Talbot for alcoholics

Have you lost something? Turn to Saint Anthony of Padua for guidance in locating the item. Does your throat hurt? Saint Ignatius of Antioch can help. And if you are blind or are an orphan in Quito, Ecuador—turn to Saint Lucy (Santa Lucia).

The entire subject is fascinating. Many people wear special medallions or carry other items related to their patron saint—the Saint Christopher medal is one of the most popular. Other saints you probably have heard of are Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Patrick (have you ever worn green on his day?) and Saint Valentine.

Do you have a favorite patron saint? Take some time to browse through a list of saints and concerns. The Star Quest Production Network, a multimedia provider for all things Catholic, offers a substantial list of saints and information about them on their saints.sqpn.com site.

Remember: wherever you are, whatever you do, and however perplexing the ailment…there is a Saint for you.

Lane Goodberry writes on business topics ranging from corporate giving to entrepreneurship.

The Classic
An oldie and a goodie, dinner and a film is always a safe choice. Try to keep it informal but not casual; choose a restaurant you love with character where you can talk and eat in an unpretentious environment. My top tip? Try thinking of some topics in advance, questions about favourite books, films and other hobbies are a great way to see what make your potential partner passionate. Talking about their passions will make them more comfortable and allow you both to ease into natural conversation. The film after, although not great for chatter, gives a great talking point and should leave you both wanting more of each others company!

Sporty
If you’re both sporty types, an active day out may be perfect. Tennis or golf are both good choices as they can be played with just the two of you and still let you chat. Steer away from anything too competitive as you don’t want to get really carried away and forget you’re on a date!

Something Completely Different
Choosing a date that they won’t expect can be a great way to show your character. Take them to a favourite building or landmark and let them see why it’s so important to you. If they share an interest think of something that would really intrigue them. If they like photography for instance, take them on a tour of the sights you think would look great on film. Your date will really appreciate it if you can use your imagination and incorporate both your interests.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you remember to focus on each other, after all, this could be the start of something wonderful.

Aged 48 and still single, I have been in and out of the dating game for a long time but it is only recently that I have lent some serious thought to the question. When it comes to love and finding an ideal partner most of us tend to choose someone who has similar interests and enjoys doing the same things. Profile matching on Internet dating sites is built upon this premise but judging from my previous unsuccessful attempts at ‘finding the one’ I have come to the conclusion that it is time to cast my net further afield and make acquaintances with people who do not necessarily fit my social mould.

I have recently started dating someone who, on my computer screen at least, has very little in common with me. I love outdoor activities, he doesn’t. I love shopping, he doesn’t. He loves to read, I don’t. The list is endless but what has surprised me is that we actually get on exceptionally well and have discovered that despite being so different we really do have a lot of common ground. We believe in the same principles, we both enjoy giving as opposed to receiving, we share the same lust for life but above all, we are ready and willing to learn from one-another and are happy to tolerate and understand our differences.

I have come to the conclusion that possessing the same values as my partner but at the same time enjoying having space to do my own things in a relationship is what is important to me. I don’t want to spend every minute of every day with my significant other. I want to be able to develop my own interests as well as sharing my life with someone else and I truly believe that it is possible to do without compromising the closeness and security we all look for in a relationship. So, go on. Make a date with someone who you would ordinarily disregard and find out for yourself how opposites do indeed attract!

Here is our Christmas list of appropriate Christmas gifts whatever stage your relationship. A full range of gifts for women is available at House of Fraser. Just check out their ‘gifts and wedding’ section online; don’t worry we aren’t suggesting you plan for the big day just yet, it’s just the name of the online gifts section.

Dating time: less than a month

You definitely don’t know everything about her just yet; so don’t go overboard. This is a tricky time bracket, insomuch as you don’t want to look too soppy and/or keen, but you do want her to know she is special and you are most definitely interested. Anything too personal is a big no-no, but something too general is also out of the question. Beauty products are great early-bird gifts. If she is into make-up – you should be able to figure this out just by checking out her face on the first date – the Benefit makeup Project Flawless Gift Set is the ideal choice. If she is more of a fresh faced lady, the Clinique 3-step home and away I & II is perfect.

Dating time: two to four months

You know more about her now and feel comfortable with where you’re at, but you still need to impress. Prove you know her with a fragrance gift set. Ask the beauty counter assistants for advice; they will guide you through myriad fragrance types. However, if you’re buying online, you could get her the gift set of her favourite fragrance.

Dating time: five to eight months

You really should know what she likes and doesn’t like at this stage, and if you have been together for this long it must be pretty serious. She means a lot to you, so show her how much. This is the time for jewellery. You can find something personal now because you should know her unique style. Earrings and rings can be tricky, but bracelets and necklaces are much easier to get right.

Dating time: nine to 12 months

This relationship is for real now. This means it’s time for the next step; no, not marriage. Instead of a traditional gift, you should get her an ‘experience’. Smartbox experiences, available through House of Fraser include a Michelin-star dinning gift set where you can whisk your leading lady off to one of 30 Michelin starred restaurants in the UK. Quite a nice deal for you too.

Buying a Christmas present for the guy you’re dating can be tricky, especially if you’ve only just started seeing each other. You don’t want to look too keen and scare him off, but you do want him to feel special. You obviously need to know the boundaries and where you are in your relationship before you go off spending money on someone who doesn’t feel the same way. However, having said this, Christmas is about surprises; you don’t want to know too much as where’s the fun in Christmas shopping then?

Whatever stage you are at in your relationship, we have pulled together some gift ideas for you to buy your – new or not so new – man. A full range of House of Fraser presents for men can be found at their website. Here’s our selection of the best.

Dating time: less than a month

You don’t know him all that well yet and you don’t want to come off too clingy by getting something corny or cheesy. Keep things neutral; a personal organiser, a leather wallet or a bottle of his favourite tipple are perfect casual gifts.

Dating time: two to four months

You know more about him at this stage and therefore you can make the gift more personal. However, men are often a little intimidated by notions of commitment, so you don’t want to go all out just yet. You could venture along the music/DVD/entertainment scene, but these kinds of choices are very personal and you could easily get it wrong. A safer route is aftershave or a grooming gift set. Lacoste and Hugo Boss have new gift sets out in time for Christmas, alternatively, just get him a fragrance you like the smell of. After all, we are partly attracted to people because of their smell.

Dating time: five to eight months

Now things are getting serious. He might have even met your folks, or is about to over Christmas dinner. Now is a good time to prove to him how much he really means to you and it’s quite safe to put a little more of your heart, time and thought into the gift. Men are quite fussy about watches, so this is a hard present to get right, but if you do you will prove just how well you know him as well as scoring major cool girlfriend points among his mates.

Dating time: nine to 12 months

You’ve almost made it to the year mark. This is cause for celebration in itself and you probably feel your man deserves a little spoiling. Smartbox gift experiences available at House of Fraser are perfect. Choose from the Adrenaline and Adventure packs to give him the opportunity of racing a Lamborghini or driving an 18-tonne tank.

What OnlineDatingBible.co.uk is, is the most comprehensive site for Christian daters on the online market today. If you are looking for eligible men and women of the Christian faith, there is no better place to go than OnlineDatingBible.co.uk. Make sure that you always remember what you are about and do not let the pitfalls of the dating world ever stop you or make you settle for anything less than what you deserve.

As you repeat this to yourself, you should realize that all of the daters on OnlineDatingBible.co.uk ry/ty. they do not want to have to lie or become discouraged dating people that do not share their faith, and they are looking for people just like you. What are you waiting for? The next thing that you should be doing is creating a profile on the website, and communicating with the faith based daters around your area. And believe me, there are more than you think.

The features on the website allow you to hone your search like no other website before it. You are not only able to communicate freely with people that you find attractive, but you are also able to ignore people that you do not find attractive. You are able to search by any number of criteria so that you can efficiently find the type of person that you like within the faith. And if you ever get discouraged, simply take the mileage out for another 5 miles and you are automatically presented with an entirely new pool of daters for your perusal.

Your faith and your dating are intertwined. There should be no one that can tell you differently. You do not have to settle, and with the resources at the website OnlineDatingBible.co.uk, we are making sure that you do not settle. Not only that, but you might actually find someone that you can fall in love with!

Sandal Castle in Wakefield takes its role in British military and literary history seriously. The Battle of Wakefield during the War of the Roses cost the Duke of York his life here. The event is reenacted during live history days. The castle ruins and visitors center overlooks River Calder and is the setting for Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part 3.

Pontefrect Castle served as a royalist stronghold during the English Civil War until it was reduced to ruins in a siege in 1649. The castle area includes an underground magazine, which served as a prison during the Civil War. A tour of the underground area, cut from solid rock, is available for a fee. Shakespeare mentions Pontefrect Castle in Richard III.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park features 500 acres of outdoor sculpture garden space along with five indoor galleries. Exhibitions rotate, with at least 60 sculptures on display at a time. Lakes and woodland in the park have recently been restored and opened to the public, including a Greek-style summer house and a shell grotto, making a lovely setting for a romantic walk. Park admission is free; parking is £5.

Hepworth Wakefield, designed by architect David Chipperfield in a riverside setting, opened during the summer of 2011. This huge exhibition space for the visual arts, 1600 square metres, is located on Wakefield’s Gallery Walk. It is named for Wakefield’s own Barbara Hepworth, an important figure in contemporary art. The gallery is also a social space with film screenings, talks, and concerts. One can impress a romantic partner by planning a date to either art collection to coincide with an exhibit of the other person’s favorite artist.

Other attractions in Wakefield include Nostell Priory House, Chantry Chapel on Wakefield Bridge, and Wakefield Cathedral. The city hosts two major food festivals each year, the Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink, and Rhubarb in Februrary and the Pontefracte Liquorice Festival in July.

With so much to do and see in Wakefield, a visiting couple may just want to grab a quick bite at a castle or gallery café. Perhaps a light lunch or tea at a bistro or public house would hit the spot. A leisurely, romantic dinner can also be found, especially for those who enjoy Italian or contemporary European cuisine.

Getting set up through friends is another option, but it is a risky one unless the values of your friends are very similar to your own. Younger Christian people face challenges as well, since there are less people in their late teens and early 20s who are committed Christians and looking for a life partner.

Christian singles of all age groups who are looking to meet someone new can save themselves a lot of heartache by passing up the general dating websites and registering for one that is meant just for Christians. It is already a given that your fellow dating site members have the same types of values that you have, so that is one less layer of formalities you have to go through in order to meet your potential match. If you think that online dating is far-fetched and only for people who are desperate, you probably don’t realise that one in five relationships today began over the Internet.

Finding a Christian Dating Website

When it comes to something as important as dating and possibly finding the love of your life, you need to take a proactive approach instead of sitting home in your flat waiting for love to find you. That may be the stuff romantic movies are made of, but it doesn’t really reflect reality. If you are connected to the Internet, meeting new people is as easy as finding a website that helps bring single Christian adults together.

Establishing Your Online Profile

If you don’t want to attract superficial people, then don’t write a superficial profile full of things that you think other daters want to hear which may or may not be true. This is the time to dig deep and show the other members of the dating website that you really know yourself and what you are looking for in a potential partner. You don’t have to give your life story, of course, but often times being authentic is what will attract people to you the most.

When it comes time to upload a photograph, use your photo editing software to include one that has only you in it, is cropped for an up-close look and has bright lighting. Oh, and don’t forget to smile.

- If your dating profile does not already include a photo, add one.

Members with a photo on their profile are more likely to receive a response from other users. Sure, looks aren’t everything- but it’s nice to know who you’re talking to. When uploading photos to your profile, make sure they convey your personality and expectations. If you want a man who values intelligence, bikini pics are out of the question. If you want a woman to know you are responsible and hard-working, save the drunken party pics for Facebook. Another photo upload to avoid: anything with you and your ex. Your first contact attempt will be in vain if your profile photos are not up to par.

- Choose your subject line wisely.

Aside from your photo, the first thing potential dates will see is the subject line on the message you send them. Many members receive 10 or 20 messages a day. Some members receive even more. A subject line like “Hi” or “Hello” is polite. It’s also boring. Say something creative. If you aren’t feeling creative, mention something you saw in the other member’s profile. If you both love cats, write “Greetings from one cat lover to another”. If they mentioned that they love following a healthy diet, write a silly subject line such as “This message does not contain high fructose corn syrup or trans fats”.

- Treat your email like a verbal interaction.

When messaging a member for the first time, it is important to follow many of the same rules you would follow in a regular conversation. Ask open-ended questions. “Do you like tennis?” is not an open-ended question; “What’s your favorite sport?” is. Open-ended questions offer the other person a chance to respond to you and spark up a conversation. Be polite and don’t spent the entire email jabbering on about yourself. If you monopolize the email with “I like this and that and this and also that and blah blah blah”, you probably will not receive a response back. Pay attention. Just like you would pay attention to the hobbies and interests of your potential date in person, you should pay attention to their profile. Don’t stop with a catchy subject line; show that you aren’t sending out a generic message to every member that catches your eye by mentioning specific information found in their profile.

- Don’t be afraid to flirt a little.

It’s okay to flirt a little. It’s not okay to flirt a lot. Showing a member you are interested by saying “I see you love Mexican food- I know a great restaurant we can go to” is acceptable. Saying “I see you love Mexican food, but you’re way hotter than any jalapeno pepper I’ve ever tasted” is slightly creepy.

The first is that the written word does not always translate in the same manner as the spoken word. Simply put, while a comment or question may sound perfectly natural in your head, the reader will only see the exact message minus the tone or inflection that you intended the statement or question to have.

Because of this it is important to carefully structure a first message so that it is an exact written expression of the sentiment that you intended to imply. Remember, you community members may not recognize your attempts at sarcasm and wit for what they are and you could come off as sounding creepy or rude when attempting to infuse a first message with humor. It is always a good idea to keep coversation basic until you and the other party have established enough of a repor to recognize when one or the other of you is joking. With a new dating contact you should also avoid introducing yourself by defining your past dating woes. Your introduction is not the time time to discuss failed relationships or numerous thwarted attempts to ignite your love life.

Understanding this, start by making a brief introduction. This should include why you are interested in the individual, what caught you eye in his or her profile, and what your short or long term dating interest are. If you have likes or common dislikes as revealed by the member’s profile, make certain to address these as well. Knowing that similar interest are shared can help a person to feel more at ease.

As with all dating related introductions, it is essential to portray a measure of self-confidence while remembering to discern the difference between confidence and arrogance. This is best accomplished online by pointing out several positive things about yourself while mentioning key positive aspects of the other member’s profile as well. Taking the time to complement him or her is a phenomenal way to break ice and generate interest. By keeping it simple, direct and positive and you are likely to get a positive and direct response in return.