Ideas to celebrate Valentine’s day during this recession period

History

Valentine’s Day or Saint Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world.

In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine’s cards, presenting flowers,or offering confectionery.

The history of Valentine’s Day is obscure, and further clouded by various fanciful legends. St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. Its roots are obscured by mystery and there are varying opinions about it. Its origins have become themes of many legends.

According to legend, the holiday has its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalis/Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15. As Christianity came to dominance in Europe, pagan holidays such as Lupercalia were frequently renamed for early Christian martyrs. In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day circa 496, declaring February 14 to be the feast day of the Roman martyr Saint Valentine, who lived in the 3rd century.

Some low cost, high value ideas for this Valentine’s Day

Idea # 1

Leave a note on her pillow, a note on her dressing table mirror, a note on the breakfast table, and a note on her car’s steering wheel.

Idea # 2

Ask her to watch the sunset with you – and promise her your love will burn longer than the sun

Idea # 3

Plan a wakeup call for Valentine’s morning, ensuring that the first words your lover hears on Valentine’s Day are either “I love you,” or “I had a dream about you last night…”

Idea # 4

Insert candy surprises into balloons before inflating them – add a folded-up Valentine’s message then inflate each balloon. Tie with a red ribbon and attach to your loved one’s chair for them
to find Valentine’s morning.

Idea # 5

Do something unexpected: If she always does the laundry, you take it on this week. Add some fragrant fabric softener and make sure you fold and put it away, too. If he loves a clean car, arrange for it to be detailed with an indoor polish and an exterior shine
click the links for more Valentine’s Day Ideas

IDEA # 6

Get a piece of paper and some crayons. Draw a bright childlike picture with a smiley sun and two stick figures holding hands. Add labels with your two names pointing to the stick figures. Write “I Love You” inside a heart. Next get a large formal envelope. Place your drawing inside and type up a formal address label of your partner’s work such as: For the immediate and urgent attention of:

Idea # 7

Mail it to your partner so she receives it in the middle of a busy day. Buy a small decorated cardboard box, a sheet of colored tissue paper, some massage oil and a blank card. Line the box with the tissue paper. Place the massage oil in the box and write the following message on the card: I know a great Masseur. For an appointment ring: (Your Phone Number)

IDEA # 8

If your partner has a pet that she adores, at Christmas, in addition to buying a gift for your partner, buy a small present for her pet.

IDEA # 9

If your partner has long hair, take the time to brush it using long slow strokes. This is particularly effective after she has had a shower or when she is getting ready for bed

Idea # 10

Write a romantic Poem and send it to her

Idea # 11

Send her few red roses

Idea # 12

Buy some rose petals and place them behind the sun visor on the passenger side of your car. Take a post it note and write, “I Love You” on it and stick it to the back of the sun visor. As you are driving to a romantic destination, look at your partner and tell her she has a mark on her cheek. She will pull down the sun visor to use the mirror and be showered in rose petals and see your note

Idea # 13

Buy a tree with your partner and plant it in a special spot. Each year on your anniversary, have a glass of champagne next to your tree and talk about how your love and the tree have grown.

Idea # 14

Photocopy your hand and fax a copy of it to your partner with a message saying, “Do ya wanna hold hands?”

Idea # 15

Buy a box of chocolates and very carefully open one side of the plastic wrap so that you can gently slide the box out. Open the box and place a love note inside. Then slide the box back into its plastic wrap and reseal it.

Poems for Valentines Day

Poem #1

Before I knew you, I had always loved you,
Even as I dreamed of whom I’d love.
My inner picture was a portrait of you
Years before your heart my heart would move.
Vistas of enchantment are but rarely
As we find them in reality. Love with you is what I dreamed,
but really, Eden as no dream could ever be.
Nor is this the magic of the moment,
The proper costume for the holiday.
In words like these one finds the winnowed ferment,
Not of the desire, but of the way,
Else lost amid the longings of the day

Poem #2

Happy Valentine, my love! All my love is yours.
Praised be love that brings us home,
Pilgrims to these shores.
Yearnings here find harborage; Vanities, sly smiles.
All that righteous anger rends,
Love here reconciles.
Even in the darkness where No bitterness finds rest,
Thoughts of you are like a dawn Intent on happiness.
Nor would I have so light a heart
Except that I am blessed!

Recipe for Valentines Day

Chocolate Delight for my Valentine

Directions for Melting Chocolate….For 1/2 pound (8oz.) of chocolate wafers, or plain chocolate candy bars – broken in pieces, or chocolate morsels… · Place chocolate in a 2 cup microwave safe glass measuring cup. · Set microwave on full power or High. · Use the following times as a guide, stopping to stir every 30 seconds. · Melting times – milk chocolate – 1 to 1-1/2 minutes white chocolate – 45 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes semi-sweet chocolate – 1-1/2 minutes to 2-1/2 minutes · Times will vary. Do not overcook. Chocolate scorches easily! Dip or swirl pieces of fruit, cookies, wafers or whatever (be creative) into the melted chocolate. Surround the pieces completely with chocolate or dip them only half way. Place coated pieces, right side up on a wax paper or parchment paper lined baking sheet until the chocolate hardens.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Truffle

Makes 10 servings Ingredients · 16 (2 inch) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped · 2/3 cup unsalted butter · 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter · 5 large eggs, lightly beaten · 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour · Peanut Butter Cream · Garnish: toasted peanuts Preparation Melt chocolate and butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often. Remove from heat, and stir in peanut butter. Let cool slightly. Gradually add chocolate mixture to eggs, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer 10 minutes. Fold flour into batter. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9″ springform pan.Bake at 400° for 12 minutes for a gooey dessert, or 15 minutes for a firmer dessert. (Either way, cake will not be firm in center when removed from oven.) Let cool completely. Cover and chill thoroughly. Remove sides of springform pan. Spoon warm Peanut Butter Cream onto each dessert plate. Top each with a slice of torte. Garnish, if desired. click the links for more Valentine’s Tips

Cards
http://www.123greetings.com/
http://www.bluemountain.com/
http://www.printfree.com/

Dolls
http://www.shopping.com/
www.singingvalentines.com/
www.hawaiisingingvalentines.com/

**Few of the ideas and contents are shamelessly borrowed from some other websites.

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