Valentine's Day!!!

[Uki Chick]

5th Century, Rome
Mid February was traditionally the time of the Lupercian festival, an ode to the God of fertility and a celebration of sensual pleasure, a time to meet and court a prospective mate. In AD 496, Pope Gelasius outlawed the pagan festival. But he was clever to replace it with a similar celebration, although one deemed morally suitable. He needed a "lovers" saint to replace the pagan deity Lupercus.
The martyred Bishop Valentine was chosen as the patron saint of the new festival.
Saint Valentine had been beheaded for helping young lovers marry against the wishes of the mad emperor Claudius. Before execution, Valentine himself had fallen in love with his jailer's daughter. He signed his final note to her, "From Your Valentine", a phrase that has lasted through the centuries.
Pope Gelasius didn't get everything he wanted. The pagan festival died out, it is true, but he had further hoped people would emulate the lives of saints. Instead they latched onto the more romantic aspect of Saint Valentines religious life. While not immediately as popular as the more passionate pagan festival, eventually the concept of celebrating true love became known as Valentine's Day.

http://www.sweettechnology.com/theme/valentine.html


That time of year is coming up. What do some of you do to celebrate it? Do you believe in Valentine's Day or is it just another day for you?

 

[Rose]

Perhaps Valentine's day will be forgotten this year and all the whoha will be ... not messed with?

 

[Ms Ann Thrope]

Valentine's Day has always been a dismal holiday for me. I try and hide in a hole from the 13th to the 15th until I'm sure it's over.

 

[Leslie]

I never did believe in it...never expected anything from it or on it, I guess I just never felt it right to demand that someone prove they love me on one specific day.

Then, my life as I knew it was shattered one fateful Valentines Day, so it's really ruined now.

 

[tonksy]

i've never had a nice one....but i think the idea is nice...i think it's a little too commercial...cookie cutter gifts that require no forethought...commercialism ruins everything.

 

[Rose]

I've had some good ones. Last year the valentine gift that I remember was the husband and I buying a house. We closed a couple days early if memory serves ...

One year in eighth grade, I think it was, I got a neat gift - a HUGE balloon decorated like a hot air balloon with streamers over it tied to a basket at hte bottom. Can't remember what it was filled with, probably candy and a teddy bear or something. But it was awful neat. *sends charlie a virtual hug*

 

[Uki Chick]

Most of the time, I though of Valentine's Day as a day to cherish one another, but not necessarily a day to profess your love. It has become very commercialized. I prefer spending time with my hubby, making a nice candlelit dinner and just enjoying the evening. Although, last year I couldn't of cared a damn about it. It wasn't the best of years.

 

[tonksy]

i think the men are afraid of this thread...i'd like to hear some of their ideas...hell...i'll even critique them free of charge

 

[Dave]

if i dont produce, at the bare minimum, a card with something romantic written on the inside, i can expect a cold front to move through for a couple of days.
we usually get some useless thing related to the day that eventually gets tucked away somewhere never to be seen again until the clutter level demands stuff be tossed out.

 

[chcr]

5th Century, Rome
Mid February was traditionally the time of the Lupercian festival, an ode to the God of fertility and a celebration of sensual pleasure, a time to meet and court a prospective mate. In AD 496, Pope Gelasius outlawed the pagan festival. But he was clever to replace it with a similar celebration,

That time of year is coming up. What do some of you do to celebrate it? Do you believe in Valentine's Day or is it just another day for you?

1. Welcome to the realities of christianity.

2. That question is a joke, right? Or are you single?

 

[chcr]

if i dont produce, at the bare minimum, a card with something romantic written on the inside, i can expect a cold front to move through for a couple of days.
we usually get some useless thing related to the day that eventually gets tucked away somewhere never to be seen again until the clutter level demands stuff be tossed out.

And here I thought that was my own personal hell.

 

[Uki Chick]

2. That question is a joke, right? Or are you single?

It's not a joke, it's a way to get opinions and no i'm not single. In case you're not aware, I'm married to Paul_Valaru.

 

[BeardofPants]

I always forget.

 

[freako104]

i havent exactly had a good one since Feb 7, 1999 cause thats the day my ex dumped me i havent had a reason to celebrate. I love what its about tho. Just too Hallmark now. and noone to celebrate with me

 

[IDLEchild]

Valentine's day

What a pathetic charade it has turned into. Take my lover for granted for the whole year and then on one day prove to them my love.

I don't need a special day to celebrate love and appreciate my girlfriend. The whole damn year should be a Valentine's day for a true boyfriend/girlfriend.

 

[PostCode]

Oh shit...that's coming pretty soon...

















Crap.

 

[Nixy]

bah, this looks like it'll be my first Valentines being single in awhile...past 3 years I've had a bf...not the same one...2 different ones...

 

[unclehobart]

I have never had a valentine for which to dote upon on valentines day.

Natalie... got an extra bottle of the cheap stuff?

 

[Ms Ann Thrope]

I have never had a valentine for which to dote upon on valentines day.

Natalie... got an extra bottle of the cheap stuff?

Excuse me, I don't have ANY cheap stuff.... inexpensive, maybe.

Sure, wanna hide with me until Feb 14 is just another unpleasant memory? I've got some decent California Cabs that passed the 10 year mark and might just be quaffable.

 

[unclehobart]

Groovy. I'll drag along a few bottles of port for good measure.