Listen To Your Heart This Valentine's Day

Ah, Valentine's Day. That day of the year when love is in the air, flowers are delivered, and cards are exchanged. February, and specifically Valentine's Day, has been known for romance for as long as we can remember. Characterized by Cupid, red hearts and St. Valentine himself, Valentine's Day is a favorite of both men and women.

Although historians dispute the origin of Valentine's Day (the Catholic Church, for example, recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus), there can be no question that Valentine's Day is an important holiday to most Americans. Ever since Pope Gelasius declared February 14 to be St. Valentine's Day in 498 AD, this holiday has been a part of history.

But February isn't known just for candy hearts and heart-shaped cards. Unfortunately, February is also known for heart disease and heart attacks.

What are Those Roses Trying to Tell You?

by Owen Jones
More roses are sold in the few days before St. Valentine's Day than in any other similar timespan in the year. Until not so long ago, people were mindful of the significance of the colours of roses (I am pretty sure that it did not concern other flowers too).
For instance, it would have been a serious faux pas to give a young teenage girl a red rose, but not a pink or a yellow one. All the colours had a meaning. However, it is a bit like reading Tarot cards, not everyone agrees on those significances.
Anyhow, out of interest and to keep the tradition going, I will give you the generally accepted significance of the colours of roses below.
'My love is like a red, red rose,' so goes the poem and when most people think of a rose, the first colour that in all probability comes to mind is red and, in fact, the word "rose" comes from the Latin word "rosa", which means red.

Valentine's Day Symbols: The Signs that Define Love

Image courtesy of AKARAKINGDOMS / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What sort of things come to your mind when you think of Valentine's Day? Cutouts of red hearts adorning almost every place that you step into? Pictures of a winged cherub shooting arrows with a bow posted on the walls? Flowers, candles, candies, doves, etc.? You are probably very familiar with all these symbols of love that are prominently displayed all over the place every February. These images are unmistakable, and together they represent our modern celebrations of Valentine's Day. But, do you know the stories behind them? Read on to find out the origins and meanings of the different V-day symbols.

Heart
The heart reigns supreme among all symbols associated with Valentine's Day because it represents love in its purest form. In the ancient times, the heart was believed to where all emotions come from. The heart is the key organ in sustaining life (just as love is). Giving someone your heart means giving him or her your most precious and vital possession. It is not known when exactly the heart took on its current Valentine shape, but scholars believe that it could have originated from the attempts of people in the early times to draw an organ they had never seen. Since then, "heart"-shaped cards, cakes, cookies, pillows, and other items have become a hit every 14th of February.

Cupid
Images of Cupid are some of the most powerful Valentine's Day symbols. But just who is this character? Most people know Cupid as a little chubby winged boy with an innocent face, golden curls, and blue eyes. In Roman mythology, Cupid is the son of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, and a god of love in his own right. The arrows that he carries symbolize love and desire. Supposedly, when he strikes you with one, you will soon fall in love. It is for this that the Cupid has come to be associated with Valentine's Day and become one of its most cherished symbols. So watch out for the Cupid -- Valentine's Day is almost here and he may strike you any moment!

Roses
Why are roses a staple every V-day? It is because roses are considered the messengers of love. Have you ever noticed that if you rearrange the letters in the word 'rose', you get 'Eros', the Greek name for the God of love? Roses symbolize love, compassion, peace, friendship, and romance. So, how do you express your love to someone so special? Give them red roses. Red represents the intensity of your love and passion. Additionally, it is said that red rose was the favorite flower of Venus. And apart from the color red, roses of other colors can be given on Valentine's Day to convey different messages such as admiration or friendship.

Love Birds
Have you and your beloved ever been called lovebirds? Birds are an important Valentine's Day symbol, as it is widely believed that birds find their mates on this day. True lovebirds are a type of colorful African parrot named so because they sit closely to each other and appear to never be parted, just as devoted lovers. Many people believe that lovebirds cannot live long in the absence of their partners. Aside from lovebirds, swans and doves are also well-known symbols of pure love and loyalty. In many countries, white doves are used in weddings to signify peace, love, loyalty, and good luck. These birds are said to mate for life and so are symbols of fidelity.

Lace and Ribbons
Ribbons and Lace have been Valentine's Day symbols since the days of knighthood. In the early times, a knight would wear lace or a ribbon given to him by his loved one before he would go to the battlefield. In later times, lace was used as a way for women to signal interest in a member of the opposite sex. A woman who liked a man would drop her lace handkerchief on purpose, hoping that the man would pick it up for her.

Knowing the various symbols associated with Valentine's Day and their meanings should add significance to your celebrations. The next time you pick a red rose for your beloved, or wrap a candy heart with a ribbon, think about what other symbols you can add to strengthen your message of love. So celebrate Valentine's Day with all the lovely Valentine's Day symbols and have a simply fabulous time!

Valentine Craft Color Schemes

Planning on making some homemade Valentine's Day greeting cards or other crafts? It's now easier than ever to create Valentines at home with a personal computer using fonts and graphics found on the Internet. These contemporary color palettes will give you a head start in designing your own gifts this year.

Valentine's Day Color Schemes

View more lists from Gifts by Genius

The Saint Behind Valentine's Day

Let us Love by action not just word 1 John 3:18 Cards by inspiredbygenius

February 14th, the holiday of Love! Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint, and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day and its patron saint is shrouded in mystery. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman traditions. The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred but none of whom were associated with roses or chocolate.

One legend is that Valentine was a priest who had served during the third century in Rome. The Emperor of Rome at the time was Emperor Claudius II. He decided that single men, those without women or children to take care of and support made better soldiers than those who were married with children. Because of the conclusion he came to, Claudius ordered the outlaw of marriage for young men, whom he viewed were his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine realized the injustice of such a decree and defied Claudius’s command by continuing to perform marriages for young lovers even though it was very dangerous for him to do so. When Claudius discovered this, he ordered that Valentine be immediately put to death.

Other legends include suggestions that Valentine was killed while he was trying to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were possibly being beaten and even tortured at times. What does this have to do with a holiday that is a famous day for lovers? According to this version of the legend, the first Valentine greeting was actually allegedly sent by Valentine himself. When he was in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love. The person he fell in love with was a young girl, possibly his captor’s daughter. She was said to have visited him during his confinement while in prison. Before Valentine’s death, it is alleged that he wrote her a love letter. He signed this letter with the expression "From your Valentine". This expression is still used today on Valentine’s Day and is signed at the bottom of cards and Valentine gifts.

Though the real truth behind the Valentine legends is still somewhat of a mystery, what is clear is why Valentine is looked upon as a brave, compassionate, and romantic person. By the Middle Ages, Valentine was, not surprisingly, one of the most popular saints throughout England and France.

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Religious Valentine's Day Cards:

There is no fear in love 1 John 4:18 Greeting Card by inspiredbygenius Check out Marriage Cards online at zazzle	Love covers a multitude of sins 1 Peter 4:8 Card by inspiredbygenius Browse other Marriage Cards	The attributes of love 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (2) Greeting Cards by inspiredbygenius Add your photos and text to blank greeting cards at Zazzle
There is no fear in love 1 John 4:18 (2) Greeting Cards by inspiredbygenius Shop for a different greeting card template online at zazzle	Love is a mysterious force Proverbs 30:18-19 (2) Greeting Card by inspiredbygenius Shop for a different greeting card template online at zazzle	Love is a mysterious force Proverbs 30:18-19 Greeting Card by inspiredbygenius Check out more Marriage Cards at Zazzle

A Special Message to Our Friends & Fans...

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!

Romantic Valentine Decorating Tips for Your Home

One of the best parts of Valentine's Day is decorating.

You can find wonderful opportunities to decorate for this holiday just by looking around your home. Popular materials include extravagant parchment papers, silky cuts of fabric, and satiny ribbons. You can use these in the colors of the day such as red, pink, and white. Here are a few ideas to help you get started decorating for this holiday.

Kitchen Bulletin Board
Need to decorate a bulletin board? Flowers and hearts are an easy way to brighten up a plain memo board. First, do something unique for the background such as covering the entire board with holiday wrapping paper. If you want to be really extravagant then use a tablecloth in your chosen color schemes. Then put a fun border around it, and put hearts of all shapes and sizes all over it. Next, add a fun saying or slogan to your board. You can make it something quirky like "Be My Valentine" or something religious such as "God Is Love."  Finally, include some pictures of family members. You can also leave space to add any Valentine greeting cards received from friends and classmates.

Dining Room Table
If you are planning a party , there are a number of foods that you can use to celebrate the day and decorate your home too.  You can purchase or bake heart shaped cookies covered with in pink or red frosts. Accent with sprinkles in other colors, and place on a heart shaped tray to display.  Chocolate are also an appropriate option. Show off these heart shaped treats on crystal dishes or your finest white china. For the kids, you can set out paper cups filled with candy hearts, mini marshmallows and chocolate chips.  For the grownups, chocolate mousse with whipped cream in decorative glasses makes a stunning display.

Living Areas
Another great way to make any room in your home look beautiful for the holiday is through the use of candles.  Maybe, you even have some extra from Christmas to use.  You can place them in candleholders or simply use rings of silk flowers and greenery for ones that will not be lit. The scent of the candles is not as important as their appearance, so save the green for next Christmas and only display ones that are pink, white, or red.

Home Office
There is one final area you can decorate -- your office. But don't worry if you have already used up all of your decorating supplies in other rooms, here you can use virtual decorations. As a free gift for our readers, we have created a three piece set of Valentine's Day computer desktop wallpapers. These are free for personal use and you are welcome to invite your friends and family to download them as well.

11 Holiday Fonts for Your Printable Valentine's Day Projects

From beautiful script to wacky dingbats, these fonts will add a special touch to your holiday craft projects.

1. Precious

2. Eutemia I

3. Roses! Roses!

4. JLR Simple Hearts

5. Country Hearts

6. Lovers Quarrel

7. Love Romance

8. Great Vibes

9. Jenna Sue

10. Italianno

11. Garineldo

Note: all fonts are believed to be freeware or public domain, but verify licensing before use.

5 Creative Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Your Wife or Girlfriend

Women love creativity. Anyone can go to the store and just buy a gift. But a creative gift shows your willingness to go the extra mile to make her feel loved. Creative Valentine's Day gifts are usually a little bit challenging, but the additional effort makes them more personal and ultimately extra special.

Try one of these ideas and she will be absolutely amazed and impressed with your creative abilities.

Valentine's Gift Basket
This is a fairly easy creative idea that anyone can do. Purchase a really pretty basket, some filler for the basket in her favorite color and a beautiful ribbon to wrap the handle and tie a bow. These items can be purchased at a craft store. Fill it with some of her favorite things such as her favorite perfume, bath soaps, scented candles, gourmet cookies, something soft and silky wrapped in beautiful tissue and tied with a ribbon and perhaps a little teddy bear. You could also include a music cd she’s been wanting and perhaps a piece of jewelry also wrapped. By including some of her favorite things, it shows how closely you pay attention to her wants and needs.

Chocolate Candy
Hershey's Kisses automatically say, "I Love You" but can be made to say so much more... Try a new twist to this traditional gift by carefully unwrapping each kiss, taking out the paper tag, and replacing the tag with your own handmade messages that start off by saying, "I love you because…". Think of as many different reasons as you can come up with. Then carefully wrap the kisses back in foil with their new tags clearly displayed through the top of each kiss.

Night on the Town
Instead of the traditional over-priced dinner in an expensive restaurant, take your sweetheart somewhere she will never forget. Pack a picnic basket filled with her favorite treats, a bottle of wine, and candles. Take along a couple of blankets, a battery-operated CD player, and several romantic CDs. Drive to the park or somewhere with a secluded atmosphere and treat her to a picnic for two. Before the night is over, surprise her with a small token of your love - something you have made for her on your own (a special Valentine’s Day card, a bookmark, a coupon book, etc.)

A Romantic Night at Home 
If you are looking for a way to save money on Valentine's Day then create a romantic atmosphere at home rather than going out. Run your Valentine a hot bubble bath complete with candlelight, soft love songs playing in the background, and fragrant bath oils. While she is enjoying her relaxing bath, finish the setup with a bouquet of roses. But instead of giving the roses to your sweetheart, gently pull the rose petals off of eleven of the stems and sprinkle them from the bathroom door to the bedroom, creating a path for her to follow. Sprinkle several petals on the bed, and place the last one long stem rose on her pillow. Enhance the magical night by purchasing some exotic massage oil and treating her to a massage she will never forget!

Bouquet of Roses
You may be thinking that roses are a clichéd Valentine's Day. One that is boring, thoughtless, and simply not good enough for the love of your life. Well, here is a way to make giving roses very special: buy a dozen roses and place a pearl inside each rose bud. As the rose buds open, the pearls will be revealed as an extra surprise. Once your sweetheart finds all your pearls, take them to a jeweler and have them strung into a necklace. This is something your true love will be able to hold onto long after the roses are gone.

Sending Flowers on Valentine’s Day

The world is full of flowers. Visit any place dedicated to flowers and you will be amazed at the types of flowers, and facts about them. Flowers come in all shapes, and colors. Some of them can intoxicate you with their lovely perfume. Some are so delicate that one fears touching them. But all of them are stunningly beautiful.

Throughout time, the gift of blooming wild flowers was a common practice to demonstrate romantic love or affection between partners on Valentine's Day. Daisy flowers became a sort of "yes-no" love divination. Today, daisies have their own meaning of innocence and loyal love, associated with the fifth wedding anniversary.

During the 19th century, roses became the flower of choice, having different meanings according to their color or numbers of flowers given on Valentine's Day. A dozen red roses remains the classic Valentine's Day gift. However, many women report that they adore roses in other colors just as much. While the red rose is all for love, the yellow has a meaning of friendship and the pink is all about happiness. There are hundreds of colors to choose from. The choices are endless and it's easier than ever to select a rose that is as unique as your sweetheart.

But roses, while traditional, may not be the best choice for your sweetheart. You have to keep in mind what type of flower arrangement, including color and type of flower, would suit the recipient best. Consider a sunflower for the person in your life. The meaning of this Valentine’s Day flower is admiration. Your special someone will feel adored by you all day long. How about a For-get-me not? This flower means true love. You could not say it any better. A tulip given on Valentine’s Day has a meaning of the perfect lover. Now that is a great compliment.

Women are not the only floral recipients on this holiday; men love to receive flowers too. The meaning of Valentine’s Day flowers for the man in your life is a symbol of love, and the arrangement should be kept simple and masculine.

The meaning of Valentine’s Day flowers can be whatever you would like. The person receiving them will appreciate that you thought of them on this day no matter what type of flowers you give. One thing is for sure, he or she will love the thought behind this gift that speaks ever so loudly to the heart without even saying a word.

History of Valentine's Day Greetings Cards

Image courtesy of fotographic1980 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)  Cynics will claim this is because "It's a Hallmark holiday."  But Valentine's Day precedes consumerism, corporations, commercial greeting cards, civilization and even Christianity.  It is an expression of what it is to be human.

Traditionally, mid-February was a Roman time to meet and court prospective mates. Roman young men instituted the custom of offering women they admired and wished to court handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. Eventually, the cards acquired St. Valentine's name.

As Christianity spread, so did the Valentine's Day card.

The oldest known valentine greeting still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. The greeting, written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.

In the sixteenth century, St. Francis de Sales, bishop of Geneva, attempted to expunge the custom of cards and reinstate the lottery of saints' names. He felt that Christians had become wayward and needed models to emulate. However, this lottery was less successful and shorter-lived than Pope Gelasius's. And rather than disappearing, cards proliferated and became more decorative.

By the seventeenth century, handmade cards were oversized and elaborate, while store-bought ones were smaller and costly. In 1797, a British publisher issued 'The Young Man's Valentine Writer', which contained scores of suggested sentimental verses for the young lover unable to compose his own.

Printers had already begun producing a limited number of cards with verses and sketches, called "mechanical valentines," and a reduction in postal rates in the next century ushered in the less personal but easier practice of mailing valentines. That, in turn, made it possible for the first time to exchange cards anonymously, which is taken as the reason for the sudden appearance of racy verse in an era otherwise prudishly Victorian. The burgeoning number of obscene valentines caused several countries to ban the practice of exchanging cards. In Chicago, for instance, late in the nineteenth century, the post office rejected some twenty-five thousand cards on the ground that they were not fit to be carried through the U.S. mail.

The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons, and colorful pictures known as "scrap". Her elaborate lace cards cost from five to ten dollars, with some selling for as much as thirty-five dollars. Since that time, the valentine card business has flourished.

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The Origin of the Valentine's Day Holiday

The origins of Valentine's day can be traced back to the Medieval era and associated with a Catholic Church feast day. But the ties to love and fertility come from the ancient times of Greece, when the Athens calendar included a period between mid-January and mid-February called the Gamelion, a month dedicated to the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera, hence the association with love and fertility.

Most scholars believe that the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. During this time, around 270 A.D., emperor Claudius ll prohibited marriages for young men, claiming that bachelors made better soldiers. Valentine continued to secretly perform marriage ceremonies but was eventually apprehended by the Romans and ordered by Claudius to be put to death. But his courageous blessing of the bonds of love may have earned him a notable place in history.

Another legend has it that Valentine, imprisoned by Claudius; fell in love with the daughter of his jailer who visited him during confinement. Before he was executed, he allegedly sent her a letter signed "from your Valentine" an expression that is still used today. We could say this marked the very first Valentine’s Day.

Possibly the most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine and his day is one not focused on Eros(passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion. Subsequently, his love for his god may have gone down in history. It could be that we celebrate Valentine’s Day on the 14th because this is the day that St. Valentine died.

However, many believe that the celebration of Valentine’s Day was an attempt by the Church to get rid of a pagan festival. The Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus taking place on February 15. Participants in this festival sacrificed goats to the god Lupercus on this day and after drinking wine, they ran through the Roman streets holding pieces of goat and touching anyone in their run including women in the belief to receive an easy childbirth. The Lupercalia festival was outlawed as un-Christian, and Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D.