Valentines Day

[Racoon]

What is the historical reason for Valentines day?

Personally methinks its a quote-unquote 'holiday' created to artificially spur peoples spending... A good month and a half from Christmas when retailers need a spike in sales duing the cold winter months.

Buy flowers and jewelry to show how much you care.

As a romantic, I take exception to the force feeding of when and what to buy.. Surprises and heart-felt giving at any random or anniversarial moment throughout the calander year is preferable to a standardized time table...

Sure, the premise is good. You love or like your wife/husband girlfriend/boyfriend; but should they expect you to demonstrate that affection on February 14th?
Becuz' guys know if you don't do anything for your significant other that day, you will be in the dog house.

And while diamonds are forever and women love them.. what a scam they are.

[InfiniteNow]

I say we start a petition for Fellatio day, except it's a weekly holiday... Falls every Tuesday. Whatdya say, Rac?

[InfiniteNow]

The History of Valentine's Day

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

Be sure to press "next" if you visit the link...

[Racoon]

What it costs to say 'be mine' - Forbes.com - MSNBC.com

What it costs to say ‘be mine’
The high cost of loving: $120 per swooning consumer this year
Valentine's Day is the second-biggest card-giving day after Christmas.

Cupid's arrow will cost consumers a little more this year. The average lovestruck consumer will spend nearly $120 on Valentine's Day this year, up from $101 last year.

In total, U.S. wooers will spend $16.9 billion on their sweethearts this year, according to the National Retail Federation's 2007 Valentine's Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by market research company BIGresearch.

The survey polled 7,703 consumers and found that 63 percent of them planned to celebrate Valentine's Day, most between the ages of 25 and 34. On average, men will spend $154 on their Valentines, nearly double the $85 the average female will spend on her sweetheart. The most popular gifts men plan to buy to say "Be Mine": flowers (58.3 percent), candy (42.9 percent) and jewelry (27.6 percent).


Valentine's Day is big business for some big companies. At gift retailer 1-800-Flowers.com, the holiday typically accounts for 10 percent of annual sales. In the days leading up to Feb. 14, 1-800-Flowers.com will fill more than 100,000 orders a day, up from 10,000 to 15,000 orders on an average day. Meanwhile, The Hershey Company estimates it sells 1.5 billion of those lip-smacking chocolate Kisses every Valentine's Day.


Roses are red and little boxes — the good kind, from Tiffany — are light blue. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, jewelers do about 7.8 percent of their year's sales in February, a big reason Tiffany last month rolled out a brand-new engagement ring called the Tiffany Novo. Starting price: $2,810.

Despite the rise of electronic greeting cards, the most popular gifts on Feb. 14 are traditional, paper-based greeting cards. BIGresearch estimates that nearly 63 percent of both men and women said they planned to spend the $3 on a Valentine's Day card, the second-biggest card-giving holiday of the year after Christmas, according to Hallmark, which offers more than 2,000 Valentine's Day greeting cards.

[HappytheStripper]

Originally Posted by Racoon

What is the historical reason for Valentines day?

Personally methinks its a quote-unquote 'holiday' created to artificially spur peoples spending... A good month and a half from Christmas when retailers need a spike in sales duing the cold winter months.

Buy flowers and jewelry to show how much you care.

As a romantic, I take exception to the force feeding of when and what to buy.. Surprises and heart-felt giving at any random or anniversarial moment throughout the calander year is preferable to a standardized time table...

Sure, the premise is good. You love or like your wife/husband girlfriend/boyfriend; but should they expect you to demonstrate that affection on February 14th?
Becuz' guys know if you don't do anything for your significant other that day, you will be in the dog house.

And while diamonds are forever and women love them.. what a scam they are.

Awww Racoon ya big softey.. writing about Valentines Day and all..

To right diamonds are a scam.. I'll give ya a stone instead lmao.. I decided to give up celebrating along time ago and threw the notion of romanticism out the window.. along with my concept of time..

Valentines Day is.. a day where those in love.. lust.. and otherwise celebrate shared emotions.. I mean humans need one day.. because for the other 364.. you can bet ya bottom dollar they argue..

In terms of commercial viability.. good lord yes.. its a day the tills ring in florist shops across the globe.. not to mention jewellery stores across nations.. then there are the lingirie stores.. and retailers count their blessings as business may have been slow since xmas and new year..

The psychological aspects of gift giving are numerous in a way it shows someone cares and loves us.. roses diamonds a lingirie being the most popular gifts..

Surprises and heart-felt giving at any random or anniversarial moment throughout the calander year is preferable to a standardized time table...

Too right Racoon.. thats why to me Feb 14th is another day in a year of my life..

Ashley xxxxxxx

[HappytheStripper]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNow

I say we start a petition for Fellatio day, except it's a weekly holiday... Falls every Tuesday. Whatdya say, Rac?

Lmfao.. !! I say.. Sunday.. that way you have to get down on your knees to do it..!!!

[infamous]

To all our members that represent the fairer sex, I would like to wish you all a very special Valentines Day.................... ................Infy

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by infamous

To all our members that represent the fairer sex...

Well, thanks Infy, but what about the ladies of the site?

[Monomer]

Originally Posted by Racoon

As a romantic, I take exception to the force feeding of when and what to buy.. Surprises and heart-felt giving at any random or anniversarial moment throughout the calander year is preferable to a standardized time table...

Sure, the premise is good. You love or like your wife/husband girlfriend/boyfriend; but should they expect you to demonstrate that affection on February 14th?

Definitely not. I really don't like valentine's day. I think it's wrong that the world should be made to show love to their significant other on that particular day. I agree with Racoon that love should be shown all throughout the year. My husband surprises me with gifts at various times and I really love that. But he also demonstrates love by cooking and cleaning, by listening, by comforting and generally being very supportive. I want/need that throughout the year, not just one day.

[infamous]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNow

Well, thanks Infy, but what about the ladies of the site?

Ha,ha,ha,ha,.........LOL, you make an obvious point there my friend............................good one Now.

....................................Infy