Valentine's Day

One of three known saints named Valentine, he lived around 270 A.D. and was certainly associated with love and marriage. According to tradition, Valentine was a cleric who came into conflict with the Roman Emperor Claudius II. At the time, Rome was in its decline and facing pressure from the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians. Claudius reportedly theorized that having a family would distract young able-bodied men from becoming good soldiers, so he forbade marriage among young men.

This caused a major shock to the populace, but they dared not rebel. Valentine felt this was a sore injustice and began secretly conducting marriage ceremonies for young lovers. Inevitably, though, he was discovered and arrested.

While in prison, Valentine was approached by a jailer named Asterius, who had heard that he could perform miracles and wished him to heal his blind daughter. Catholic legend has it that Valentine performed the miracle through his strong faith; the Protestant version refutes this. In any case, Valentine and Asterius' daughter met and became friends.

Claudius II is said to have been impressed with Valentine's dignity and conviction, although they did not agree on the issue of marriage. Claudius unsuccessfully attempted to convert Valentine to the Roman gods, while Valentine tried to convert Claudius to Christianity. It ended with Claudius ordering Valentine's execution.

It grieved Asterius's daughter to learn of Valentine's imminent death. Valentine requested a pen and paper from his jailer and wrote a letter to her, ending with, "From Your Valentine." According to legend, Valentine was executed on February 14, 270 A.D.

There are records of other St. Valentines, including:
* A bishop of Interamna (modern Terni)
* A martyr in the Roman province of Africa.

Learn more about Valentine's Day here!

After Valentine's death, February 14th became a day of romance with Valentine as its patron saint. On this day, young lovers would exchange handwritten notes of affection and, with the rise of Christianity, it came to be known as St. Valentine's Day.

During the 14th century, Valentine's Day became more widely associated with love. Medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly credits Chaucer as the first to document a relationship between this day and romance in "The Parliament of Fowls," in which birds mated on February 14th:

"For this was on St. Valentine's Day, When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate."

By the Middle Ages, Saint Valentine was one of the most popular saints in France and England. The association between St. Valentine's Day and courtship was so prevalent by this time that it survived the Church's attempts to sanctify the day. In England, exchanging handmade gifts and cards were quite common by the 18th century and it spread from there to the American colonies. During the 1840s, commercially produced Valentine's day cards began to appear, the first ones being created by Esther A. Howlanda of Mount Holyoke, a college graduate and native of Worcester. Mass. Now known as the "Mother of the Valentine," she made elaborate cards out of lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".

Looking for an alternative to alcoholic beverages this Valentine's Day? More power to you! Try these:

Fireside Coffee for a Romantic Valentine's Day
Ingredients:
2 c Hot Cocoa Mix
1 c Instant Coffee
1 ts Cinnamon
2 Non-dairy Creamer
1/2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
Preparation
Mix together the cocoa mix, instant coffee, cinnamon, creamer, sugar, and nutmeg. Add hot water.

Strawberry Lemonade
Ingredients:
Juice from 2 lemons
2 tbsp sugar
20 Ripe strawberries
2 cups water

Preparation:
Throw the lemon juice, sugar, strawberries, and water into a blender and mix until fairly smooth. Serve over ice. Makes 2 glasses.

Easy Bubbly Valentine's Day Punch
Ingredients:
2 qt White Grape Juice
2 liters Diet 7-Up
1 liter Bottle Club Soda
Preparation:
Mix together the grape juice, 7-up, and club soda. Chill well before serving. Tastes just like champagne!!

Unbaked Candy
Ingredients:
2 c Sugar
1 Stick oleo
1/2 c Peanut butter
3 c Quick oats
1/3 c Cocoa
1/2 c Milk
1 ts Vanilla
Preparation:
Put butter, sugar, milk and cocoa in pan. Boil 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in peanut butter, oats, and vanilla. Drop on wax paper; cool.

Coconut Bon Bons
Ingredients:
15 oz Sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c Butter, or margarine
2 c Confectioners' sugar
12 oz Coconut, grated dried
24 oz Semi-sweet chocolate
4 tb Shortening
Preparation:
Mix together condensed milk, butter, sugar and coconut. Cover with wax paper and chill for 24 hours. Melt chocolate with shortening. Roll coconut mixture into balls and using a fork dip the balls into the chocolate. Drop on wax paper to cool and dry.

Chocolate Sticks
Ingredients:
2 Squares bitter chocolate
1/2 c Butter
1 c Sugar
2 Eggs
1/4 ts Salt
1/2 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Flour
1/2 c Chopped pecans or walnuts.
Preparation:
Melt chocolate with butter and add a cup of sugar. Stir well. Stir in the eggs, first the yolks and then the whites which have been beaten with the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add vanilla, half a cup of flour and fold in the nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until done. Cut into slim rectangular sticks.

You can impress your valentine by saying "I love you" in another language! Here's a few:

Cantonese/Chinese: Ngo oiy ney a
Dutch - Ik hou van jou
German - Ich liebe dich
Italian - Ti amo
Japanese - Aishiteru
Spanish - Te quiero / Te amo

The night was made for romance.
In the night our two hearts dance.
Under the stars our lips touch.
In the garden your embrace means so much.

The night was made for love.
Our hearts cooing like a white dove.
Your eyes sparkling like diamonds so white.
I love you darling with all my might.

The night was made for caring and trust.
And darling, God made this night for us.

For more love poems, Visit this page!