#1
#2
And simply enjoy being there with your person.
#3
Lore has it that Valentine’s Day may have pagan roots. In fact, it might have originated in Lupercalia, a festival of fertility celebrated on February 15 in ancient Rome. It was celebrated with animal sacrifices and gently slapping women and crop fields with goat hides dipped in blood, which was thought to help fertility.
Ugh, who knew that the day to celebrate love had such a gory origin? I am sure we are all glad that it condensed down to its version today.
History.com states that the oldest valentine ever recorded is from 1415. Charles, Duke of Orleans, wrote it to his wife while he was a political prisoner in the Tower of London. One of the lines in the poem read, "I am already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine." How romantic is that!
#4
Yes I cried.
#5
#6
It was not until the 17th century that people started exchanging cards and letters with their lovers and friends. However, Valentine’s Day was only “commercialized” in the 1840s, when "Mother of the American Valentine" Esther A. Howland started selling cards with lace and ribbons.
After that, the rest was history as the valentine wave slowly took over the world and people started gifting various things to their loved ones. While greeting cards, jewelry, and candy are popular choices for Valentine’s gifts, nothing beats flowers, especially roses. It is estimated that more than a whopping 250 million roses are produced for Valentine's Day!
#7
Obviously not expense-free but definitely not pricey.
#8
#9
We are going hit the arcade for a game, the candy store, the coffee place and window shop together.
I really honestly just wanted a low key night walking through the mall with a snack where we could look and comment on stuff and have an uninterrupted conversation focused on each other.
Roses are gifted on Valentine’s Day, yes, but did you know that the color of the rose given also holds meaning? While a red rose has traditionally symbolized love, other colors like deep pink, purple, or white—which symbolize happiness, royalty, and sympathy respectively—may be given on the holiday too.
Apart from flowers, 145 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged every February 14 (and that's not even including all those kids' valentines exchanged in classrooms). This makes Valentine's Day the second biggest holiday for exchanging greeting cards after Christmas. However, the cutest part is that teachers receive the most Valentine's Day cards annually, followed by children, mothers, and wives.
#11
#12
The magic of this holiday is that people love to celebrate it, no matter what. In fact, even when the American economy was in terrible shape in 2024, people still spent on Valentine’s Day gifts. However, they chose the ones with a lower cost, and some even celebrated it on another day, when the prices were not at their peak.
Speaking about the present, trends are changing and so is the popularity of different gifts. For Valentine's Day 2025, just over 40% of U.S. shoppers planned to buy clothing, shoes, and other accessories, making these the most shopped-for Valentine's Day gifts. About a third of respondents said they intended to purchase jewelry.
#13
#14
#15
While there’s a lot of razzmatazz around this festival, there are some people who think that it’s just a manufactured holiday to sell greeting cards, chocolates, and flowers. Well, there’s no lie in that as you saw the shocking statistics above, but making an effort and celebrating your loved one definitely sounds like something that can be good for relationships.
What about you? What’s your take on this lovey-dovey festival? Also, if there are any unique gifts that you have given your partner or received yourself, feel free to share them with us in the comments! Here’s to wishing you the most romantic Valentine’s Day ever!
#16
#17
For gifts that are super thoughtful but don't necessarily have to cost a lot, listen to their memories of their childhood. Was there a particular book they loved? Or maybe a toy they really wanted but never received? Shopping around on ebay/etsy can land you a deal on vintage items.
#19
#20
Now the hard part. Make one long mix of all of these songs (reasonable length of 12-20 songs works well) in Audacity or your sound editor of choice, and then in the intros of each of the songs, record your memory of them, and how it reminds you of them. For example, as the intro to "The First Single" by The Format fades in, I would write "This song reminds me of summer nights and blissful abandon with you in the early days of college on Lakeshore path. When we'd run barefoot across the wet grass in the summer heat, this song pounded through my heart and mind while your eyes captivated mine. Whenever I hear this, it makes me want to grab your hand and jump off into life with you."
This gift takes a lot of time, even for a skilled editor. However, it costs almost nothing, and can really leave a good impact on your significant other. Plus, it's a joy to make, and reminds you of all the ways you love them.