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Archive for the ‘Valentine's Day’ Category

So we’ve all seen the chubby-cheeked baby wielding a bow with heart-tipped arrows, but where did the legend of Cupid begin?

Here’s a little mythology lesson for your Valentine’s Day!

In Roman mythology, Cupid is the god of  love and beauty.  He is the son of goddess Venus (goddess of love) and god Mercury (messenger god), thus making Cupid the messenger of love!

The story is, Cupid’s mother Venus became jealous of a princess named Psyche.  Psyche was so beloved by her subjects that they forgot to worship Venus, so Venus ordered Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with the vilest thing in the world. When Cupid saw Psyche, however, he was so overwhelmed by her beauty that he fell in love with her himself.

Cupid began paying visits to Psyche, but he would never reveal himself. But Psyche, with some urging by her sisters, tried to see her lover. She tricked Cupid who became so irate that he left her. Psyche wandered the earth, searching for Cupid. Finally, the god Zeus united her with Cupid and gave them permission to marry. They lived happily ever after, giving birth to a daughter whose name was Voluptas, or Hedone (meaning pleasure). The history of romance has begun!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

So most of us know what happens during Valentine’s Day in the United States – sending cards, Valentine chocolates and candlelit dinners.  But what does the rest of the world do during Valentine’s Day?  Below are just a few examples of festivities going on around the world.

Wales – A long-held tradition of giving Welsh Love spoons to ones lover still occurs on Valentine’s Day. The wooden spoons are intricately  carved with symbols representing a wide range of emotions intended to convey the givers feelings. Some of the symbol meanings are: Heart – Love, Horseshoe – Good Luck, Celtic Knot – Eternal Love, Twisted Stem – Two Lives Become One and
Birds – Love Birds or Let’s Go Away Together.

Japan – The traditional gift given on Valentine’s Day in Japan is chocolate, but great care is taken to make sure that the correct type of chocolate is given because there are two types – one suitable for friends and one for lovers.  Giri choco or obligatory chocolate is given by women to their male friends, co-workers and superiors. Honmei choco is chocolate given to the man that a girl is truly interested in or serious about.

Brazil - Brazil does not celebrate Valentine’s Day on the 14th of February. Brazilians celebrate the Dia dos Namorados (Day of the Enamored) on June 12th.  The day is is celebrated in colorful style with festivals and dancing. It is also on this day that couples exchange gifts or give flowers and cards to one another.

Mexico – The most prevalent Valentine’s Day tradition in Mexico is to exchange gifts in a secret way. The men of Mexico have another special way of showing their affection to the one they love. In the evening, they show up at the home of their girlfriend with a mariachi band or trio of singers who serenade the girl with 2 or 3 romantic songs while standing beneath her window.

10 Ways To Say I Love You

In common languages of the world!

Arabic – Ana behibak (to male)
Arabic – Ana behibek (to female)
Chinese Cantonese – Ngo oiy ney a
Chinese Mandarin – Wo ai ni
French – Je t’aime, Je t’adore
German – Ich liebe dich
Italian – Ti amo
Japanese – Aishiteru or Anata ga daisuki desu
Russian – Ya tebya liubliu
Spanish – Te quiero / Te amo

Are you looking for some fun party game ideas for Valentine’s Day this year?  Here are some great games for kids of all ages that are perfect for a classroom party, Valentine Birthday, or any Valentine’s Day get-together.

Steal My Heart Game -Here’s a game that really takes some hand-eye coordination!  Simply purchase a couple large bags of Valentine candy conversation hearts and some chopsticks. Place the candy in a large bowl at the center of a table. Have the kids take a spot around the table then give each child a set of chopsticks.  The goal is to ’steal’ as many hearts from the big bowl of candy as possible. You can either give them individual small bowls to store their stolen hearts or tell them to make a pile right in front of them. Make sure to tell them they can only use the chopsticks – NO HANDS!  Set a timer for 3 minutes and the child with the most hearts in their bowl or in front of them when time runs out wins a Valentine prize!

Valentine Memory Game – Purchase one or two bags of candy conversation hearts. Prepare for the game by pouring the candies out and going through them to find pairs of hearts that are identical (same color and same saying). When you are ready to play the game, lay all the pairs of hearts face down on the table. Explain tot he kids that the goal is to find pairs of hearts that have the same saying and color (you might want to show them an example). Go around the circle having each child taking a turn by flipping over two hearts. If they get a pair, they get to take another turn until they miss. When they miss, the hearts get flipped back over (face down). The child with the most pairs when all of the hearts are matched wins the game and a Valentine themed gift.

Pin The Arrow on Cupid – Who can help Cupid get ready to shoot his arrow of love? Buy a large piece of poster board then draw a picture of cupid holding a bow on the poster board. (Online clipart sites are a great visual guide.) Hang the poster board on the wall being sure to have the location at hand height for the kids. Give each child an arrow made out of construction paper. Put double sided sticky tape or a adhesive glue dot on the back of the arrows. To play, blindfold each child, give them a spin around and have them try to pin the arrow on Cupid’s bow. The child that gets closest to the intended location wins.

How about hosting a Valentine’s Day Party this year? If you’re getting a group together for Valentine’s Day, here are a couple fun game ideas to keep things interesting!

Lovers Lifesaver Relay Game – Before the party, buy a roll of lifesaver candies (red and white for Valentine’s Day). To start,  evenly split the party guests into groups of 3 or more players. Have the players for each group line up in a straight line then give each of the players a toothpick that they hold in their mouth (no HANDS allowed). Give the first person in each group’s line a lifesaver candy which they hang on the toothpick in their mouth. Once you yell start, the first player in line passes the lifesaver from their toothpick to the toothpick of the next player in line (without using their hands). They pass it to the next and so on until the last person in line has the lifesaver on their toothpick. The first team to get the lifesaver to the end of their relay line wins the game! NOTE: During the game if the lifesaver falls to the ground or someone uses their hands, the team must start all over at the beginning with the lifesaver on the first player’s toothpick.

Valentine Suck & Blow Card Game – A great game for a bunch of single people! This hilarious game requires 8 or more players and is best pif you have an even number of people and equal number of men and women so that people can sit boy-girl-boy-girl. Have the party goers sit in a tight circle very close to one another because they will be passing cards with NO HANDS. Give a card from a standard or heart-shaped deck of playing cards to one of the people in the group. The goal is to pass the card to the next person in line without dropping it. The first person holds the card to their mouth by sucking on it like a vacuum, they pass it to the person on the right by placing the card on their mouth so that neighbor will need to suck on the card to hold it while the first person blows (releasing the suction) to let go of the card. Don’t drop the card or you’ll be kissing the person sitting next to you! This game is sure to get lots of laugh!

If you have some cooking skills, a candlelit dinner is a great surprise and one that your sweetheart is sure to appreciate. For a memorable night, make something that you know your significant other really likes. You can even create a theme around the type of food they like.  If it’s seafood they love, you could add accents to the table with beach themed candles, real seashells and maybe some ocean sound CD’s playing in the background.  Other theme ideas could be:

- Mexican Food – Accent with rich orange, yellow, red and green colors.  Terra Cotta pots could hold fresh flowers.  Use Chili Peppers to accent your dinner table.

- Asian Food – Cherry Blossom Accents add a romantic touch to your dinner.

- Italian Food – Grape vines set a mood for your Italian dinner.  Wine and Cheese are also a great choice.  Play authentic Italian music in the background.

If you’re not the best cook, you could always order take-out and sill serve it on your table for 2.

For dessert anything heart-shaped will do!  How about a heart-shaped cheese cake? Our two pound cheese cake says “Happy Valentine’s Day on top and is garnished with a Red Marzipan Rose. The Chocolate fudge and Raspberry Swirl cheesecake features a chocolate cookie crust, while the NY style has a classic graham cracker crust.

It’s a well known fact that chocolate is a very popular gift for Valentine’s Day!  But that doesn’t mean you have to go with the same boring selection of Chocolates. We carry a great selection of unique and tasty chocolate gifts!

How about a trio of Valentine Chocolate Caramel Apples? Crisp petite Granny Smith apples are hand-dipped in rich, golden caramel then dipped in Belgian Chocolate and finished with festive icing decorations and candy sprinkles for a delectable one-of-a-kind treat!  Just $34 for over a pound of deliciousness!

Another fun and luscious idea is a tin of Belgian Chocolate Covered Oreo Cookies. For $32 you get 16 delicious Oreo® sandwich cookies enrobed in rich Dark, Milk or White Belgian chocolate, then coated with Valentine themed decorations.  They look amazing and taste even better!

So if you’re looking for a unique and chocolately gift this Valentine’s Day, you’re sure to find the perfect choice at Holiday Gifts & Gift Baskets.

On Valentine’s Day you were feeling a little lonely. I guess the commercialism of the day got to you. You told me something I found interesting: you are afraid of a romantic attachment because it would signal a loss of freedom and autonomy. Did you get this idea from watching your father and me? I certainly hope not.

Marriage does not mean the loss of autonomy.

Marriage means becoming part of a unit. With children, the size of this unit grows. It may not be run along democratic lines-indeed, ours is not-but belonging to our family unit means that there are three people who care for you more than anyone else. We expect the same in return.

So, my dear, do not fear romantic attachments. One may be the start of your own family unit. Your marriage will be completely different from mine. You will have more choices. You will also not be able to blame your husband if you make the wrong decisions. I taught you to think for yourself but not to put yourself first. I love you.

Mom

Love! We all need that warm, fuzzy, feeling we call love. Love is a strong positive emotion of regard and affection, and love makes the world go around. This wonderful emotion makes us feel wanted and appreciated. We have love for our family and children and the love for each is different and unique to each individual. This love is unchanging no matter what situation occurs or what these individuals do. This type of love is truly unconditional love – a love that will not leave us no matter what and a love that would make us jump off of cliffs for. The love we feel for these individuals is different than the “shaking in the knees, heart fluttering” kind of love we may feel towards someone we are dating. Oh, the awesome feeling of first love and infatuation is one you will never forget! This type of love is romantic, intimate and sexual and this same type of love is felt between an engaged or married couple. Yet this love can change and grow or it can change and deteriorate over time. It can be the most beautiful feeling and it can be the most heartbreaking. It’s this romantic, intimate and sexual love between two individuals that must be worked at each and every day in order for it to endure the years. So what can one do to keep the romance in your life alive? Here are some tips that will help to keep the love alive:

1) Do little things in the course of a day such as leave notes, send gifts or gift baskets, bring home flowers or call just to say you love each other.

2) Make a date with each other. Schedule regular dates without the kids, if possible, and make time for each other.

3) Show affection by holding hands, cuddle, and kiss. This will keep your partner happy and also sets a positive, healthy example for your children.

4) Show your appreciation for each other every day.

5) Keep the communication lines open and truly listen to your partner.

6) Always give 100%.

The most romantic day is nearing – Valentine’s Day! It is a day to celebrate love and romance, and the bonds you have created with your loved one. As the day of love nears, plan to make it an unforgettable day and spark the love and romance in your life.

1) Make your own Valentine’s Day card, write a poem or a sincere love letter.

2) Book the honeymoon suite of a hotel and plan a night of romance.

3) Plan a romantic getaway.

4) Prepare a candlelight dinner and a night of dancing.

5) Watch a movie that has special meaning to both of you, such as the movie you saw on your first date.

6) Propose all over again.

There are many ways that you can be romantic, but the most important is to say “I love you” on a frequent basis. Those three words go a long way. So what does love have to do with it? Love has everything to do with your relationships and your life. Without love, our existence would be dark and dreary.

Doesn’t it feel wonderful to be loved?

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and the day of love will be celebrated by many couples, families and children around the world. Candy, flowers, gifts, holiday gift baskets and cards are exchanged between loved ones. This is all in the name of St. Valentine.

Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day? The beginnings and history of Valentine’s Day and its patron saint is shrouded in myth and mystery. However, for ages February has been a month of romance. St. Valentine’s Day contains trace history of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition.

Saint Valentine

Who was Saint Valentine? One legend claims that Valentine was a priest during the third century in Rome. Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men because he decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families. Valentine defied Claudius and performed marriages for young lovers in secret. Claudius, when Valentine’s secret actions were discovered, ordered that he be put to death.

Other myths suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to another legend, Valentine sent the first valentine greeting himself. While Valentine was in prison it is said that Valentine fell in love with a young girl who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter which he signed “From your Valentine.”

The legends and history of St. Valentine are murky and mysterious. However, the stories portray Saint Valentine as a heroic, caring and romantic figure. By the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France. There are many stories, all varying, about what actually became of Valentine. Some say that he was beheaded while others say that he became sick in prison and died.

In 1835, the remains, or at least what are to believed the remains, of St. Valentine were given to an Irish priest, Father John Spratt by Pope Gregory XVI, after Spratt impressed the Pope with his preaching during a visit to Rome. A black and gold casket can still be viewed every Valentine’s Day at the Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin, Ireland.

Some individuals believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in February to commemorate the anniversary of the death or burial of St. Valentine, which probably happened around 270 AD.

Cupid – The God of Love

Another famous and important symbol to the much celebrated Valentine’s Day is the cupid, a mischievous winged boy armed with bows and arrows. Signifying emotions of love and desires, Cupid aims those arrows at Gods and humans causing them to fall deeply in love.

Cupid has always played a role in the 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 Romans, he was known as Cupid.

In Roman mythology, Venus, Cupid’s mother and goddess of love ordered her son Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with the ugliest man in the world. Venus was overcome with jealousy of Psyche’s beauty. Instead, Cupid fell in love with Psyche and brought her to a secluded palace where he visited her only at night.

However, Cupid, unseen by Psyche, forbade her to ever look upon his face. One night Psyche lit a lamp and looked at him while he slept and because she disobeyed him, Cupid punished her by abandoning her and she was left to wander throughout the world in search of her love, Cupid. After many tests and trials she was finally reunited with Cupid and the gods made her goddess.

Cupid and his arrows have become the most popular of love signs. Love is most often depicted by two hearts pierced by an arrow, Cupid’s arrow.

Have you been struck by Cupid’s arrow? This Valentine’s Day, celebrate love and romance with your special someone and visit us for many wonderful gift ideas including delectable chocolate gift baskets, heart shaped gift towers, bath and beauty gift baskets and more.

And, remember, when Valentine’s Day has come and gone, the holiday may be over but the Valentine’s Day mood should be celebrated every day.

We all know how Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the United States. On February 14^th, adult, children and lovers alike exchange Valentine Day gifts and cards with one another. Many Western countries such as Italy, France, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia celebrate this romantic day in much the same way as in the United States. But what do other countries around the world do to celebrate love as we do during our Valentine’s Day celebrations?

In Wales, many people forego the traditional Valentine’s Day celebration in February to celebrate St Dwynwen’s Day on January 25^th instead. St. Dwynwen is the patron saint of Welsh lovers.  

The Nordic countries Denmark and Norway know February 14^th as Valentinsdag, but most people don’t celebrate the day unless they take the time to send a romantic card to their lover. However, their neighbor country of Finland has Ystävänpäivä which is known as friendship day when people take the time to remember and celebrate with friends. 

In Israel, people pronounce their love, give marriage proposals and send romantic gifts or cards in late August on Tu B’Av which is the festival of love. 

Brazilians celebrate the Day of the Enamored on June 12^th. This date is just before St. Anthony’s Day who was the marriage saint. It is on this day that couples exchange gifts or give flowers and cards to one another. 

Columbians and Mexicans celebrate Love & Friendship Day similarly. The difference is that in Mexico they celebrate on February 14^th while in Columbia they celebrate in September. The most prevalent tradition is to exchange gifts in a secret way – much like the way Americans do with secret Santa exchanges during the Christmas holiday season. 

In Korea & Japan, our version of Valentine’s Day has evolved into two separate holidays. On February 14^th, women present gifts to their male lovers and friends. The traditional gift given is chocolate. However, there are two different kinds of chocolate that have very different meanings to the recipient – one version for loved ones and one for friends. In fact, over half of the Japanese chocolate gift sales occur at Valentine’s Day. Then, on March 14^th which is known as White Day, the men return the favor by giving gifts to the women. Gift ideas include white chocolate or marshmallows to carry-on the white theme and flowers or jewelry. 

In China, on the 7^th day of the 7^th lunar month, the Chinese celebrate the “Night of Sevens”.  During this festival devoted to love, colorful rituals are performed in addition to exchanging gifts and cards.