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First off, i have never had a Valentine on valentines day and I think it is an overrated holiday. However, my boyfriend thinks it is important for us to celebrate it because it is our first valentines day together. We have been going out for 6 months and i have no idea what to get him. I was thinking typical sexy lingerie and do something we would both enjoy but that’s not creative. I want to do something that will really show him that i care. Maybe bake for him and something else. Any ideas ?

What can i do for valentines day and where can i take my gf for dinner?
im pretty bad at surprises or setting up events for my girlfriend. can i get some help for this valentines day. i live in Southern california (los angeles, riverside) any suggestions for dinner? surprise events?

Love has captivated hearts since the first inception of human beings, and yet no individual has succeeded in explaining the phenomenon. The best of orators and the most learned individuals have attempted and reached a zilch. But for poets, whose vision is beauty, words come together and make the readers see the meaning of love without even attempting to explain it. Ever since the times of emperors and queens, love songs have been created to articulate the undying love of individuals in unique ways. In today’s times, presenting love songs on Valentines Day has become a popular means of expressing deep feelings of love, towards their respective beloveds, for most individuals.

For Valentine’s Day, individuals have expectations, idyllic pictures of romantic evenings with the setting sun in the horizon and violins in performance, and there is no better way to bring this scenery alive than in form of a song. Love songs are expressions of unspoken feelings and thoughts of lovers about what they think of their partners and what their beloveds mean to them. They are often not rhymed but still convey to perfection the truth and sentiments of the lover.

Valentines Day love songs are either incorporated from the lyrics of well-known love songs and albums or originally created for the event. They are available in stores, imprinted on several V-Day cards and recorded in cassettes. During Valentines, certain local poets provide their services to general individuals and write love songs on their behalf for their love interests. Some enthusiastic lovers attempt to put their feelings into songs all by themselves. However, such songs might not qualify as lyrical ballads, they prove to be more valuable as the intention behind them is genuine and show the extent of the lovers’ involvement and dedication towards their beloved.

Many websites supplement numerous love songs for Valentines Day. The users can browse the sites, select the songs of their choice, and either download or forward them to their loved ones.

I am totaly in Love with my girlfriend and we have both had crappy valentines days in the past, this time around I want to make it extra special but on a budget as I am saving up to take us both on a trip to Florida. Is there any creative things I can do to make it a special Valentines day for her?

Dedicated to Saint Valentine and celebrated every year on the 14 of February, Valentines Day is a day to celebrate love. Though the day is dedicated to a saint, it never has been a religious holiday for reasons unknown. Dove, Cupid, and red roses are the popular symbols of Valentines Day.

The color red signifies love; hence it is of consequence to Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated with much gusto across the globe. Valentines day gifts are exchanged between people in love, spouses, friends and family members who value each other’s presence, more than anything else in the world.

With the influx of western culture, Valentines Day, celebrated with champagne or wine and a candle light dinner is gaining popularity in Asian countries like India, as well. For youngsters it is a day of fun and frolic at the campus. Buying expensive Valentines Day gifts may not be possible; hence they save up from their allowances to splurge on suitable gifts.

For adults however it is a reminder to take time out, for their loves ones. Valentines is not all about lovers, as is most often misconceived. Every relationship which is cherished, like friendship, mother daughter bond, love for father, and other significant familial relationships are celebrated. The celebration is incomplete without Valentines Day gifts which may vary from chocolates, roses, bouquets etc. A bunch of red roses is indispensable to the celebration. They are rightly known as Valentine roses.

Besides these, there is the Valentines Day cake which may be rich chocolate or exotic varieties like truffle, black forest and creamy pastries. Heart shaped cookies and chocolates sell like hot cakes during Valentine’s week. There is no limit to what you can gift your valentine as creativity knows no boundary.

Gifts like curios, gold pendants, perfumes and electronics are also popular Valentines Day gifts. Specially designed Valentines Day candles, customized mugs, photo frames, and T-shirts make thoughtful gifts. Customized cakes are also totally in and a regular feature during Valentines Day celebrations.

You may procure gifts at a physical store or online mart. If you are separated by distances then for timely delivery, online marts are the best option. Send Valentines Day gifts to India, availing this benefit. They generally have a wide range of selection for gifts like cakes, Valentine flowers, chocolates, combos, apparel, electronics and other mementoes. And shopping online is definitely the easiest option.

So as the festival season is approaching, save up, to splurge on exquisite gifts for your beloved. Make sure to make the day really special by meticulous planning. Roses, chocolates and cakes spread the message of love with fragrance and aroma. Make sure to spread your message of love in the most special way you can.

I’m wondering what I should give my boyfriend for valentines day, he is 25 years old.

Valentine’s Day cards are one of the special attractions for the day. The cards embody a wide range of emotions- humorous whimsical, humorous, charming, ornate, romantic, sensitive, and many more. Cards for Valentine’s Day can be sent or given to anyone and everyone whether they are lovers, friends, or family members.

The tradition of Valentine’s greeting cards dates back to the Middle Ages. It began with Charles, Duke of Orleans in 1415, who addressed a poem to his beloved spouse while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London after the battle of Agincourt. The greeting card is a special memoir and a part of the manuscript collection in the British Library. By the sixteenth century, the tradition of Valentine’s Day greeting cards gained momentum. Handwritten cards were intricately decorated with laces, silk or satin, flowers, gold leaf or even perfumed sachets. Colored paper and watercolors were amongst the essential elements used to create the card.

The tradition of exchanging printed cards for Valentine’s Day came into prominence as a consequence of the printing press and less expensive postage rates. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions at a time when subtle emotions were the order of the day and direct expression of one’s feelings was discouraged. Paper Valentine cards were very popular in England. Manufactured cards with images of Cupid and hearts were on sale by the end of the nineteenth century.

In USA, Greeting cards for Valentine’s Day began in 1840s, with Esther A. Howland who sold the first Valentine’s Day Cards, produced on a mass scale in America. Ever since, the exchange of cards has continued as an extremely popular ritual on this day. According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion Valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. This reiterates the significance of the day in the lives of Americans.

The most common one liner in these cards is “Be My Valentine.” A Valentine is a person singled out especially as one’s sweetheart on Saint Valentine’s Day. Not only confined to soul mates, Valentine’s Day cards have become an important occasion to send cards to good friends, family, relatives, teachers, students, and other social relations as a symbolic gesture of love, respect, and admiration.

In the age of electronic greetings there has been a revival of a fascination for handmade Valentine’s Day e-cards. Whatever the form maybe, a unique, sentimental handmade card, an e-card with a personalized message, or a printed card, it is the message that the card carries that remains unaltered through the ages.

What’s the best gift for your Valentine? What’s the worst? There are great and terrible gift ideas for V-Day. The main thing is to be a hero and not end up in the doghouse. You don’t want to scare someone new off with a pricey pair of diamond studs, yet you don’t want to seem cheap with a dollar store gift either.

Appropriate gifts depend on the stage of your love relationship. If you are newly dating, a pretty box of candy and a card is just fine. If you are dating seriously or married, then you will want to avoid the following Valentine’s Day disasters!

(V-Day Don’t List):

1. Avoid the gargantuan candy bar or box of candy: She will never eat it, and if she does, she may complain for weeks how fat she is and that it’s your fault.

2. Gift Cards are a definite no-no unless she specifically asked for one. Gift cards are very un-romantic. You could take her on a shopping trip to her favorite store, but only if she enjoys that.

3. Unwrapped gifts are tacky. Nothing says I don’t care as much as an exposed gift in a plastic bag with no card and no thought given. Pick a pretty paper or gift bag. Remove the receipt and price tags. Save the receipt for later just in case.

4. Cheap jewelry is not a great idea, unless she has a brand of costume she likes. Avoid rings unless you are married or going to pop the question.

5. Whatever you do, don’t give her anything that plugs in; no vacuums, blenders or coffee makers. Women have been known to give the silent treatment for days over this mishap. Men, on the other hand, will think that electronic toys are a very hot gift. (V-Day Do list):

1. When choosing a Valentine’s Day gift, think of what your love would enjoy. Even though roses are quite pricey during Valentine’s Day, they still make a romantic statement. Rainbow roses can offer inspiration to tradition.

2. Write a thoughtful note on a personal card. This lets your love know that you really took time to appreciate them.

3. Think before you shop. A spa day, an in-home massage or a weekend getaway make lovely and romantic gifts.

4. If you have run out of ideas, try something over-the-top like having a star named after your love. This one is just right for the love of your life that has everything. Tickets to a show is also a winner.

5. If all else fails, go for a nice piece of jewelry. Birth stone studs, a bracelet, or a Tiffany heart necklace make beautiful gifts. If you are playing for keeps, the diamond solitaire is forever the most romantic and dazzling gift of all on V-Day.

Always say thank you and I love you, whether giving or receiving. Whatever you decide, I wish you an abundance of luck and love this Valentine’s Day!

At this point, most men over the age of sixteen have discovered that Valentine’s Day is a gift-giving minefield. From the moment you see the date on the calendar, you’re set up for failure. Here are the top five reasons why jewelry boxes are the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift ideas.

Jewelry Boxes Can’t Be Mistaken for Diamonds

If you plan to buy jewelry for the woman in your life this Valentine’s Day, be very careful. If you’re not engaged, that little velvet box looks very much like it could contain a diamond engagement ring. If you’re married, then she’s hoping for the diamond anniversary band, diamond journey necklace, or 2-carat diamond studs women’s magazines have conditioned her to want. It’s unlikely you’ve bought the thing she’s expecting to see inside that box, so now you lose. Here’s how the conversation with her best friend will go the next day:

Girlfriend: So, John took me out to this gorgeous restaurant last night.

Best Friend: You’re so lucky. He’s so romantic.

Girlfriend: And then he handed me this little velvet box.

Best friend’s eyes widen with excitement: Oh my God, did he?

Girlfriend shakes her head: It was just a pair of emerald earrings.

Best friend heaves a sigh, and mutters something disparaging about men.

. . . Save yourself the trouble and buy a jewelry box instead.

Jewelry Boxes Don’t Die

Roses are lovely, and expensive, but for the same amount of money, you can buy a gift that won’t rot and die a week later. Sure, you could buy her a rose bush that won’t die, but now you’ve got to dig a hole, plant it in the yard, and care for it. An elegant mahogany wood jewelry box won’t require any more work on your part.

Don’t Imply Anything

If you’re not married or engaged, then buying a woman jewelry implies that you intend to continue buying her jewelry. Instead, buy her a jewelry box. It says, “I know you like to wear jewelry, so I bought you something nice to keep it in.” You win points because you showed you thought about her, but you haven’t locked yourself into anything — another win for you.

Don’t Give You Indigestion

Aside from the hassle of getting Valentine’s Day reservations, driving to the restaurant, tipping everyone, and paying for an insanely expensive meal, a heavy dinner could lead to indigestion. Indigestion is not conducive to other popular Valentine’s Day activities. Instead of taking her to an expensive and crowded restaurant, order in and present her with a lovely jewelry box. Unless you eat the wood, it’s guaranteed not to make you sick. You win bonus points if you cook for her (unless you cook ramen noodles.)

Cheaper than Jewelry

Does it seem like the cost of jewelry doubles around Valentine’s Day? Avoid the jewelry industry conspiracy by avoiding jewelry. Instead, get her an affordable leather jewelry box. It will make her think of jewelry, but it will save you a bunch of cash.

If you are one half of a couple, then Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show how much you really care. Make the day extra special by paying attention to little details and do not forget a lasting gift for your love.

To start the day, if you do not have time for a special breakfast, put a short love note in a lunch box, brief case, purse or wallet. A phone call during break or lunch time is a nice gesture, to let your love know he/she is thought of throughout the day.

After work, do something to make dinnertime a little extra special. If you do not want to cook, do not worry. Pizza delivery or a nice dinner out is great! If the budget is tight, even a hamburger at a fast food restaurant is okay, if done in the right spirit. Do something a little different. Sometimes, it really is the thought that counts.

Finally do not forget a Valentine’s Day gift for your love. A flower is traditional, but it soon wilts and dies away. Chocolates, in a heart shaped box are also the norm, but the treats just get eaten and then you have nothing to show for the holiday. So, why not purchase something that can be used throughout the year, like lingerie.

Valentine’s Day lingerie is not only beautiful; it will last well beyond the holiday. It neither wilts nor gets used up, and it says “I love you” all year long. Today, specialty lingerie stores have a great selection for both him and her. For instance, who does not like silky sleepwear?

A good lingerie store has much more than what most people think of as traditional items. The inventories are growing to include costumes, sleepwear, accessories, shoes and more. You will be surprised when you shop for Valentine’s Day online or in a department store.

Then, if the decision is too difficult, you can always fall back on the good old standby-a gift certificate. Sometimes, you want your love to have the best lingerie, but you want to make sure that the selection is just exactly what he/she wants. With the plethora of colors and styles, a gift certificate is a great solution.

So, with only about 3 weeks until the holiday, start thinking of ways you can make Valentine’s Day special this year. From the time you get up in the morning, until you go to sleep at night, show your love. From a simple note to a lasting gift-like lingerie, you can make the holiday a couple’s dream.

St. Valentine’s Day, February 14, is a wonderful time to share love and laughter. It is a time to feel special and to wallow in the romance of being in love. It is a joyful time if you are lucky enough to be in a loving, committed and faithful relationship. To love and feel truly loved in return is a wonderful feeling at any time of the year, but even more so on St. Valentine’s Day. To have a lover, partner and friend who is devoted to you, and you to them, is the most powerful form of love that can be imagined.

But for some, St. Valentine’s Day can be a heartbreaking day when feelings of being unloved, of loneliness, of being trapped in a bad relationship, of abandonment and hurt, can really intensify.

If you are feeling unloved this St. Valentine’s Day then there is something positive, effective and empowering that you can do to change the situation you find yourself in.

On St. Valentine’s Day, many people turning their thoughts, words and deeds to love. Because of this, there is a special “Love Energy” permeating the atmosphere. Quite literally, love is in the air on this special day.

With the power of Magic and some simple love Spell casting you can capture this “Love Energy” and turn it to your advantage.

Use the Power of Magic if:

You want to reunite with an ex
You want to attract someone special
You want your lover to commit to you
You want to break free from a bad relationship
You want to be truly loved, honoured and respected

Valentine Spell

This is a simple love Spell you can try at home.

You will need the following ingredients for this Valentine Spell:

A pink candle A pink rose Rose Quartz crystal tumblestone Carefully light the candle.

Concentrate on the lover you want in your life. Visualise yourself being loved by your faithful, loving, passionate lover. While concentrating, hold the Rose Quartz crystal in your left hand and the pink rose in your right. With your left hand circle the Rose Quartz crystal 3 times around the lit candle with care.

Say 3 times:

Lover be mine my sweet Valentine
Bring henceforth to me with power divine

With your right hand circle the pink rose 3 times around the lit candle with care.

And say:

May our love and hearts entwine as one
So mote it be and so it be done!

Let the candle burn down and when safe to do so, gather up the cold wax. Bury the wax along with the pink rose and Rose Quartz crystal in your yard, garden or window box.

Valentine Love Potion

On the eve of St. Valentine’s Day prepare the following ingredients:

One measure of red wine One sprig of fresh rosemary or a teaspoon of the dried herb One red rose One measure of any red fruit juice -strawberries, raspberries, pomegranate or cranberries. One teaspoon of honey Strip the rose petals from the rose and place in a clean jar with a screw top lid. Add the rosemary and the measure of red wine. Steep this love potion mixture overnight.

The following day – St. Valentine’s Day, February 14 – strain the prepared love potion mixture and discard the petals and herb, retaining the liquid. To the liquid stir in the fruit juice and honey and set aside until evening.

Prepare yourself physically and mentally to consume the Valentine Love Potion by bathing, meditating and concentrating on whom you desire. Carefully light red candles and let them burn during your preparations. Add rose or lavender essential oil to your bath water. Visualise your perfect partner in your arms, loving you as much as you do them.

When you feel ready, relaxed and ready to receive the love you deserve decant the Valentine Love Potion into a fancy glass. Now you are ready to drink your Valentine Love Potion.

Take one sip and say:

“As I drink may love be mine”

Take another sip and say:

“To me bring forth my Valentine”

Take a third sip and say:

“Allow our love and hearts entwine”

Finally take a last drink and drain the glass and say:

“So mote it be!”

Valentine Dreaming

To dream of your true soul mate take seven Bay leaves and kiss each one before placing them under your pillow on the eve of St. Valentine’s Day. Close your eyes and repeat the following seven times with sincerity and belief.

Seven times I ask of thee,
a true and loyal love to send to me

Professional Love Spell Casting

If your situation is complicated or you don’t feel confident or lack experience in using the power of Magic, you can ask for help from a professional Spell Caster. Of all Magic Spells cast, by far the most popular are those for Love. A professional and experienced Spell Caster will have the knowledge, expertise and experience of casting effective Love Spells, including Valentine Spells.

They are more than just glossy and decorative pieces of paper — they are a window to the very soul of those that have been bruised by playful Cupid’s arrows! Within their depths lie a myriad quivering emotions and trembling hopes. Yes, we are talking about the quintessential Valentine’s Day card without which this celebration of love and romance just is not complete.

Next to Christmas, Valentine’s Day is the biggest revenue grosser for manufacturers when it comes to cards. Take a hold of this. Each year, love-struck Britons spend around 503m UK pounds (835m US dollars) on cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts for Valentine’s Day. World statistics reveal that no less than a billion cards are sent every year on Valentine’s Day, placing it just behind Christmas as the second most significant card-giving occasion. That’s a lot of love in the air!

But, do you know just how the custom of giving Valentine’s cards came into being?

As with the festival itself, even this tradition is shrouded in mystique. According to one belief, the tradition began with Saint Valentine, the patron saint himself, when he was imprisoned by the Roman Emperor Claudius in the 3rd century A.D. Saint Valentine used to pass notes to the jailor’s daughter and one of them was signed as ‘Your Valentine’. Yet another story suggests that children used to pass notes to Saint Valentine when he was imprisoned and continued to do so even after his execution.

In the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer introduced the notion of love and romance in what had been till then a rather sombre Christian feast day. Once the floodgates had been opened, there was no stopping! By the 18th century, exchanging gifts and hand-made romantic cards to mark Valentine’s Day had become very popular in England. Traditional symbols of lace, hearts, doves, red roses and Cupids started appearing on the cards being exchanged between young lovers.

In 1797, a British publisher came out with a journal titled, “The Young Man’s Valentine Writer”, filled with hundreds of ready-made sentimental verses for all those who wanted that ‘perfect’ verse to capture the heart and attention of their beloved!

Till, the late 19th century, cards were being made mostly in England.

The first American Valentine’s Day Cards

Love is infectious! The custom of giving cards on Valentine’s Day soon spread to America as well. In the 1850s, young Esther A. Howland, an American lady of Worcester, Massachusetts, hit upon the idea of mass-producing traditional Valentine’s Day cards. Along with her brother and three friends, she started shipping beautiful hand-made Valentine’s Day cards all across the country.

These readymade satin or lace-embellished cards, with romantic messages printed on them, were a huge and instant success. People flocked to buy them — they were creative and attractively designed, and did a better job than they ever could! Buying a card for the one you loved was now the most natural (and mandatory) thing to do on Valentine’s Day.

Earliest Valentine’s Day Card

Probably because Saint Valentine himself had signed his note to the jailor’s daughter as ‘Your valentine’, the love tokens being exchanged by people also came to be simply known as ‘valentines’.

The earliest Valentine’s Day card was sent by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415 A.D. after the Battle of Agincourt. Obviously missing her dreadfully, he penned several poems, rhymed love letters or ‘valentines’ to his wife in France. One of these was sent on 14th February.

This card is preserved in the British Museum, and stands a silent testimony to just how deep and strong the roots this tradition had taken. Even aristocracy could not escape its charms!

Today, it is hard to imagine a Valentine’s Day celebration without the mandatory card. Even if one is cash-strapped for a gift, one always somehow manages a card to convey the right sentiments!

Children love to decorate for all holidays and they love to help out in the kitchen and make crafts. The following cover all three of these areas for some special family fun!

Valentines Day Popcorn Cake

1 cup butter
32 marshmallows
16 cups popped popcorn
1 cup conversation heart candy
1 cup chocolate covered peanuts
1 cup red hot candies

Melt butter and marshmallows in a large heavy pan over low heat. Stir often. Put popcorn into large pan. Pour marshmallow mixture over top. Stir and mix well. Add peanuts and candy. Mix together.

Put mixture into a well greased angel food cake pan or cake pan. The deeper the pan the better the cake will look when you place it on your cake plate.

Valentines Day Candy House

Get your family together and make these adorable Valentines Day houses.

Each person will need the following: a sturdy paper plate to sit their house on, a small square box such as a pint size milk or juice carton enough graham crackers to cover their boxes

Everyone will need easy access to the following: Melted white chocolate to use for glue Arrangement of bowls of candies and other edible decorations such as: Conversation hearts, chocolate kisses, pretzels, red, pink & white sprinkles, colored sugars, red hots, coconut,

How to Put the House Together: Simply paint the crackers and the box with the melted white chocolate and put the crackers where you want them on the house in order to cover it. For the roof it is easier to just lay the graham cracker down flat instead of trying to angle 2 together for the roof.

Then use the melted chocolate to adhere the candies to the house. Sprinkle with powdered sugar for a frosting of light snow.

Display your Valentines Day town for all to see. Do not forget to get some pictures of the cute houses and the fun time making them.

It always seem women have a hard time shopping for Valentine’s Day gifts for men. It’s true that you can’t just get them flowers and chocolate, but it’s really not that hard to please a man on Valentine’s Day. Here’s a great list of gifts that will make your man happy with February 14th.

1) Gourmet Chocolate Gift Baskets

Everybody loves chocolate and so does your man. Buying some quality chocolates from chocolatiers like Godiva or Ghiradelli will make him happy and he can even share the quality treats with you after you give them to him!

2) Wine

Wine is always good to have on Valentine’s Day. To help to situation out, why not go ahead and buy a nice bottle of wine to make planning the day easier. Make sure to note what kind of wine he likes. If you don’t know much about wine, any wine specialty store will be more than happy to help you find the perfect bottle.

3) Tickets

Getting tickets to your Valentine’s favorite sports team or band will definitely get him excited. He can even take you and you guys can plan a great date together. Make sure to plan ahead and get good seats to a good game. The better the game + seats, the happier your guy will be.

4) GPS

Let’s face it, guys hate to ask for directions. To solve the problem, why not buy him a GPS system so he doesn’t have to. Now you don’t have to fight anymore during road trips.

For centuries Valentines Day has been the center of love and affection, with small gifts and tokens of affection passing back and forth between lovers and loved ones. But very few people know the real history of Valentines Day. Even though we now associate the holiday with love, cupids, and fanciful dreams of romance, the truth is that February 14th holds far deeper and far older traditions than one might originally think.

St. Valentine

If one looks back into historical texts of the Catholic Church, they will find that the actual history of Valentines Day revolves around the day when a saint by the name of Valentine was martyred for his faith. Apparently, Valentine was killed when he dared to defy the Roman Emperor Claudius II, and performed secret marriages for young lovers.

Other accounts claim that St. Valentine was killed when he helped Christians escape from the clutches of Roman inquisitors who were torturing and killing prisoners. Another interesting thing to note about the history of Valentines Day is that the Catholic Church actually recognizes eleven different saints named Valentine, and three of them share February 14 as their day of recognition.

Chaucer, Love Birds, and the Middle Ages

The first time in the history of Valentines Day that love and lovers are actually associated with the day is during the Middle Ages in a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer. After the famous writer mentioned the two love birds that represented the engagement of the young king Richard II to his young bride to be, Anne of Bohemia.

After this first association of love in the history of Valentines Day, the idea quickly grew popular. By the 17th century, it had become custom for young lovers to exchange small tokens and hand written love notes with each other. By the 18th century, greeting cards began to be commercially produced just for the holiday; and by the middle of the 19th century, retailers began offering special gifts for young men to present to the ladies they were suiting.

Although the history of Valentines Day isn’t necessarily as romantic as we are led to believe, the fact remains that it has become one of the most popular, and commercially profitable, holidays ever. Today, men often present their wives and girlfriends with chocolates, flowers, and cards; and the day has come to be associated with the highest number of marriage proposals than any other. One fact remains true regardless of the actual history of Valentines Day – and that is the fact that this is the one day of the year when people feel the most able to express their feelings of affection for one another.