Valentine's Day February 14, 2012: A Day Of The Celebration of Love For Anyone You Love

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is a holiday observed on February 14th honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI.

The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines")

Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards and candy given in a usually red box. This is off the internet, not my words.

However, I find Valentine’s Day to be something different in my life and many others too believe as I do. When Mom was alive, I always bought her a small gift to celebrate my love for her. I would buy when I had limited money as a child, a small box of chocolate Hershey kisses. When I was employed as an older person, I would buy her a pretty nightgown. Later on when I married, I would buy her a piece of jewelry consisting of a necklace and or earrings. She did not have pierced ears, so I had to find a clip-on pair. She always treasured whatever I bought because it was not only the material item, it was for love. When she passed on almost twenty-seven years ago, I find a few of these trinkets in her jewelry box. She loved them so; she kept them for dozens of years.

When my children were young, I would buy them a book or a small toy. There were no DVD’s, IPods, cell phones or anything like that. A book would do and the toy was always a welcome item.

Now I buy still (it is a yearly nice habit I think) my son and daughter-in-law a jewelry trinket and the younger grandchildren a DVD and a toy or book. I find it gives me peace to still be around to be able to do it. I bought my husband a dog tag style charm in sterling silver with a chain and had it engraved with his name on front and on back with love, Elita.He seemed touched by it even after almost fifty-two years of marriage. On February 14, 1958, as I have mentioned before, he bought me a two or five pound box of chocolates for our first Valentine day and I never opened the box to eat them until about a month later. I loved looking at the box all tied in red ribbon and thinking to myself “this is something big about to happen.” It did. He jokes now, that he bought it the day after Valentine’s Day at the drugstore and they were reduced to half price because on Valentine Day that year, it was a work/school day and we did not see one another till the 15^th of February 1958. He also jokes he bought six of the reduced candy boxes for his other five girlfriends. Yeah, sure!!!

A friend’s daughter got engaged a few weeks before Valentine Day and the ring had to be sized. The store said it could not be done here and sent the ring to California promising it back in time for Valentine’s Day. Now they tell her, it will be several weeks. That is sad and maybe next year, a law should be passed stating it must be finished and delivered before the 14^th. Many stores are advertising still today the 13^th, that a Valentine item purchased today will be shipped via Fed Ex or UPS in time for arrival on the 14^th. They guarantee it. That is delightful.

Now this year, I was and am the recipient of a pretty new watch for Valentine’s Day 2012. That is lovely and even though I have several other watches from through the years, this one is pretty special and meaningful. Yesterday, my six year old grandson Ethan drew us a picture for Valentine’s Day. In fact, he drew it on both sides, one side for Grammie and one side for Grandpa. He even printed on it “go to back” so we would see the second side. It hangs framed, one side showing, on my wall in my office here at home. I can look at it all day, as I type my article/stories up for publication.

So whoever you love, make them a card or buy them a card or even send an email greeting card which costs not a penny to you. If you want, buy a bunch of flowers, the supermarket has them for less than ten dollars a bunch, or even one rose would be nice too. You can bake them a Valentine cake or make some cookies in a heart shape. You can buy a cupcake frosted in red icing or better yet a half or whole dozen cupcakes. Anything you buy, make or create is still a symbol of love and it does not have to be between husband/wife,mother/child, friend or another family member. Just remember this day is one of love for anyone you love or admire. Show them you remember them. Love is wonderful, anyway you have it.That is what we strive for, work for and have pride in. Love is healthy and surely needed.