Valentine's Day: Scary or Romantic

My love of hearts goes back to as far as when I was a little girl in grade school. Our classroom Valentine's Day parties were my favorite. My mother was often a room mother, and a party with punch, cupcakes, candy, and of course Valentine cards from my classmates was such a wonderful break from reading, writing, and arithmetic. I remember looking at my collection of Valentines for days. 

To this day I still love looking at pretty red or pink hearts, and will pick up a pretty old Valentine at a local flea market. I don't just keep them in a drawer, as I decorate the house with them - propped up by a picture frame, hanging from a door knob, and anywhere else I want a reminder of this day. 

History tells us that the origin of this day wasn't all about hearts, candies, and flowers. The Romans celebrated by sacrificing animals, executing men by the name of Valentine, and beating young women to "make them fertile." 

Thank goodness for English writers and poets like William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer for romanticizing up the day, while locals in Britain made cards to give out to their friends and loved ones. The giving of handcrafted Valentine cards continued until in 1913 when Hallmark began the mass-production of Valentines. 

Valentine's Day has never been the same... 

Happy Valentine's Day.