Saint(s) Valentine

When I was a child, Valentine's Day meant receiving valentine cards from my classmates and boxes of those little multi-colored heart-shaped candies with messages imprinted upon them from my parents. (What were those candies called?)

When I got a little older and began dating my husband, I looked forward to Valentine's Day because Joe always sent a dozen red roses to my office. (In a previous life, i.e. before becoming a mother, I practiced as a CPA.) It was fun to display them on my desk and they smelled heavenly!

During most of that time, it never crossed my mind that there was a history behind the day and that it was actually named for someone.

Actually, it is named for two people. Both were thought to be martyrs of the early Christian church. One Roman history includes two Saint Valentines who were beheaded on February 14, but there has been great difficulty in sorting through all the legends concerning these two men. Another history suggests that the two men may actually have been only one person.

Our family has enjoyed reading Saint Valentine each year during February to remind ourselves of the origins of this holiday. The book is illustrated with beautiful mosaics. It also tells about the origins of sending love messages on February 14.










Saint Valentine



My sweet husband still always remembers Valentine's Day, and I am looking forward to the special date night he has planned this year!