Valentine's Day as you and I know it probably originated from the ancient belief that birds (particularly lovebirds) began to mate on February 14th. The 14th was also a designated feast day (until 1969, when it was dropped from the Roman Catholic calendar) to honor two Christian saints (at least one named Saint Valentine) martyred by the Roman Emperor Claudius II Gothicus. There is a little bit of love stuff in this part, though -- the reason Saint Valentine was killed (beheaded, actually) was that he continued to marry young couples even though Claudius forbade it. Apparently Claudius thought that married soldiers weren't as good as single soldiers. On top of all that, in ancient Rome, February the 15th was the fertility festival (Lupercalia) in honor of the pastoral god Lupercus. Through the centuries it all kind of got merged together, and the modern Saint Valentine's Day is a day dedicated to lovers, a time to exchange sentimental greeting cards and mushy words of never-ending adoration.
Finally, a few valentiney thoughts to leave you with...
Candlelight Bath
Place dozens of candles around the bathroom and burn your favourite aromatic
oil in a burner. Fill the bath with scented bubble bath and invite your partner for
a sensual soak and back scrub together.
Relive Your First Date
Don't just play, "remember when" - do it. Re-enact your first date by going to
the same restaurant or movie theatre, or taking the same long walk along the
beach.
A Gift of Love Songs
Make up a personalised tape of the love songs that mean something special to
you both and put it on the tape deck of your lover's car.
Plan a Gourmet Picnic
Pack a picnic basket with a moveable feast and champagne and spread out a
blanket at your favourite riverside picnic spot. What could be more romantic?
Lovers' Scrapbook
Make a personal scrapbook that highlights your lives together. Use photos,
ticket stubs and mementos of happy times spent together.
The rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Red is a color that stands for strong feelings. This is why the red rose is a flower of love.Son of Venus, goddess of love. He could cause people to fall in love by piercing them with one of his magic arrows. Cupid is the most famous of Valentine symbols. He is known as a mischievous, winged child armed with bow and arrows. He shot darts of desire into the bosoms of both gods and men causing them to fall deeply in love. Cupid has always played a role in t he celebrations of love and lovers. In ancient Greece he was known as Eros the young son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. To the Roman's he was Cupid, and his mother was Venus. One legend tells the story of Cupid and the mortal maiden Psyche. Venus was jealous of the beauty of Psyche, and ordered Cupid to punish the mortal. But instead, Cupid fell deeply in love with her. He took her as his wife, but as a mortal she was forbidden to look at him. Psyche was happy until her sisters convinced her to look at Cupid. Cupid punished her by leaving and their lovely castle and gardens vanished with him. Psyche found herself alone in an open field. As she wandered trying to find her love, she came upon the temple of Venus. Wishing to destroy her, the goddess of love gave Psyche a series of tasks, each harder and more dangerous then the last. For her last task Psyche was given a little box and told to take it to the underworld. She was told to get some of the beauty of Proserpine, the wife of Pluto, and put it in the box. During her trip she was given tips on avoiding the dangers of the realm of the dead. She was also warned not to open the box. Temptation overcame Psyche and she opened the box. But instead of finding beauty, she found deadly slumber. Cupid found her lifeless on the ground. He gathered the deadly sleep from her body and put it back in the box. Cupid forgave her, as did Venus. The gods, moved by Psyche's love for Cupid made her a goddess. If you have any comments or suggestions
them to me and I will respond.
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