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Posts Tagged ‘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

Need a gift for your sweetie?  Check out all of our Valentine's Day gifts!

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!

Be sure to check out our Valentine gifts and cookies - they make great party centerpieces or game prizes!

On Valentine's Day you were feeling a little lonely. I guess the commercialism of the day and Valentine's Day gifts around you,  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 holiday 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 gift card, write a poem or a sincere love letter.

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