What is Valentine's Day

I remember as a kid, I loved Valentine's day. At school we made special boxes and everyone brought Valentine's for their classmates. But even then, there was an air of "I have someone and you don't". Remember the boy you had a crush on? He gave the snooty girl in class the best Valentine and the candy heart that said, "love" and "love bug", and you got the one that was blank? I remember that. It sort of hurt.

As an adult, my husband and I have had fun with the day. But never, ever did we expect diamonds or rolexes. And we always show each other we care in many different ways every day. Our anniversary was that special day to celebrate our love. 

Happy February 14th

Valentine's Day. Who invented it? Well, supposedly it is based in the Roman Lupercalia, a huge festival with sacrificed goats and pairing of bachelors and bachelorettes. Crops and women were slapped with bloody goat skins to make them both fertile for the coming year. Cool, huh?

Old Pope Gelasius deemed the event "unChristian" and changed the day to St. Valentine's day (although no one quite know which Valentine it was named for). But how it became known at the day of love remains a mystery. There were some places in old Europe that believed it was the day that started the birds mating season. I had no idea birds used a calendar!