Hmmm........Whats love got...........

Feb 7

Feb 7 Hmmm........Whats love got...........

Its nearly here the one day of the year that, lets face it we are supposed to embrace with the utmost enthusiasm and well ........LOVE.........

I decided to research a little into this feast of Valentine's that I must admit I have a love/hate relationship with.......... Why you may ask.....?

Well , I got to thinking about my past memories of Valentines particularly those of my teenage years and I have to admit that Valentine's Day brought a lot of anxiety and pressure to any single girl out there living her life.

Will I get a card?.....Won't I get a card? ....Does he fancy me or not?..... Should I send a card?......Did you get a card?............ The amount of hours I waited for S .W. A .L. K.......Seal With A Loving Kiss (which was obligatory to write on the back of the envelope at the time) I could have written a book.

Vintage Style  Miss Piggy!.....................Now there's a pig that spent hours  pursuing love and was happy with her Frog!!!!!! Ha Ha! — Vintage Style Miss Piggy!.....................Now there's a pig that spent hours pursuing love and was happy with her Frog!!!!!! Ha Ha!

These were all questions that plagued me during those years ...... Today its different and even more commercial and possibly one of the worst nights of the year to enjoy a truly relaxing leisurely meal. I have yet to find a restaurant that isn't only interested in taking as many bookings as possible , timing your sitting and hoping you'll leave ASAP . As soon as you have eaten your Chicken and drank your Sauvignon........ well its out the door........ Hence the quality of the food is more often than not disappointing on such a busy plight er! sorry.....Night Ha ha!!!!!.

Now , I don't mean to come across as a party pooper but when it comes to dining out on Valentines night my advice is DON'T........... do it on a night close to the 14th instead.

Ok here's the history bit...........

So , whats LOVE got to do with it........As it happens quite a lot.........Now after researching online and my local library I have come to the conclusion that the origins of Valentines day are at best sketchy and at worst dubious. There are several theories but this one is my favourite......

Ok , so Valentine was a priest from Rome who lived in the 3rd century AD. At that time the Emperor of Rome ( Claudius) had banned all marriages as he believed that married men made distracted and weak soldiers.

Valentine (being a kind and gracious priest) secretly performed marriages for young lovers behind the Emperor's back . He was exposed however and sentenced to death and thrown in prison to await his execution by a furious Claudious. Now you would have thought that would have been IT for young Valentine but NOOOOO..............Are you ready....... ..........Wait for it...........

The good priest Valentine promptly fell in love with the jailers daughter!!!!!!!! (I'm assuming he was in his cell a fair old time folks........after all it takes a certain amount of hours to woe successfully even for the most skilled of lovers.......Ha Ha!)

He sent her a LOVE LETTER signed "From Your Valentine" on Febuary 14th , the day of his execution as a last goodbye. (Ye couldn't make this stuff up......!)

Stupid Cupid............ Poor Valentine........

The feast of St Valentine was first established in 496 by Pope Gelasius 1 who included Valentine among all those "justly reverenced among mankind" but whose acts were known only to God......... Er!........Just as well..........!!!!!!!!

Wearing a crown of flowers St Valentines skull now rests in the Chiesa di Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Romes Piazza Bocca Della Verita. I must say next time I'm in Rome I'll go have a peek.........

Valentines Day started to become popular in the middle of the 18th century with lovers sending flowers and chocolates to each other. In 1913 Hallmark cards in Kansas City began producing Valentines cards and the rest as they say is well.....History!!!!!

Valentine cards I'll treasure forever..........XXX

So , in conclusion to my post I suppose you could say poor Valentine lost his head to love..........and though it sounds funny its also a little bitter sweet. He lost his life bringing love together and preserving it and lost his head after finding it !!!!..................which of course he shouldn't have done being a priest and all.........Still, its quite a story and one that no amount of flowers and fancy dates can hold a candle to ........SIGH!.........