VALENTINE’S DAY
Sometimes known as Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine – is celebrated on February 14 every year. It is considered a significant cultural and religious celebration of love and romance throughout most of the world.
Several legends are associated with St. Valentines (plural – there are more than one). St. Valentine of Rome ministered to Christians who were persecuted within the Roman Empire in the 3rd century. He was said to have restored sight to the blind daughter of his jailer.
Another legend has St. Valentine secretly performing weddings for Christian soldiers who were forbidden to marry by the Roman emperor. An 18th century version has St. Valentine leaving a letter to his jailer’s daughter before being executed. It was signed “Your Valentine”.
Another twist – February 14 became associated with courtly love in the 14th and 15th centuries because “lovebirds” were more active in the early spring. In 18th century England, this day grew into an occasion for couples to express their love for each other by presenting flowers or confectionery – as well as greeting cards, or “valentines”- back and forth.
VALENTINE QUOTES
“Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies” – Aristotle
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning
“The best thing to hold onto in life is each other” – Audrey Hepburn
“Love has no age, no limit and no death” – John Galsworthy
“There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved” – George Sand
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same” – Emily Bronte
“Love doesn’t make the world go ’round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile” – Franklin P. Jones
“I am yours, don’t give myself back to me” – Rumi
“True love stories never have endings” – Richard Bach
“Love is the greatest refreshment in life” – Pablo Picasso
“Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own” – H. Jackson Brown
“Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do” – David Wilkerson
“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind” – William Shakespeare
“Who, being loved, is poor?” – Oscar Wilde
“Love is the poetry of the senses” – Honore de Balzac
“Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired” – Robert Frost
“Every atom of your flesh is as dear to me as my own” – Charlotte Bronte
GIFTS
I like to use Amazon for gifting and for recommending gifts. Prices, quality and service are always satisfactory or better. As an Amazon associate, I may use their links in my fitness articles or in posts such as this one. As an affiliate marketer, I may earn from the links. See my upper menu – BECOME AN AFFILIATE MARKETER – for information on this process.
Today’s links will be to Valentine gift items – to her and to him. Each link shows descriptions, prices and further options for similar items.
First, for her:
Romantic throw blanket, ultra soft
27 preserved roses in a heart box
Heating pad for back pain relief
Shower steamers aromatherapy, less than $20
Heating pad for neck and shoulders
Temperature controlled self-heating coffee mug
Heart birthstone diamond pendant
For him:
Heated vest, with battery pack
Silk ties, pocket squares, cuff links, tie clips set
Whiskey smoker kit, with torch
Gourmet coffee sampler variety box
Cell phone stand with wireless Bluetooth speaker
Slim front pocket wallet (money clip and card holder)
FINAL THOUGHTS
One more love quotation – “A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love” – Khali Gibran
And one that hopefully was an attempt at humor – “Love is like an hourglass, with the heart filling up as the brain empties” – Jules Renard
Let’s honor the ones we love on February 14!
