Happy Valentine’s Day

Three days left to get or give enough hints to get a favorite Valentine gift. According to sources, chocolate is a favorite of both women and men. An estimated 58 million pounds of chocolate are sold in the seven days leading up to February 14.

This year predictors predict $8.1 billion will be spent for gifts, $4.1 billon on jewelry, $2 billion on flowers, and $2 billion on candy. And much more is spent wining and dining. And even Fido and Kitty get special gifts for Valentine’s Day estimated value at $2 million. That’s a lot of treats.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day starts very early in our lives, remember all those packages of little, funny Valentine cards to give your classmates. As we got older, parties and dances were centered around the special day.

Originally, Valentine’s Day was not so full of love as it evolved from an ancient Roman pagan holiday, Lupercalia, when the early Spring holiday was celebrating fertility.

The Catholic Church began to change the pagan holidays with those of the church, but Roman Emperor Claudius clung to the old festivals and put to death a priest who married those who were not permitted under the law to marry without permission. The priest was Valentine and was then associated with love. For his sacrifice he was sainted and forever remembered on St. Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is not limited to couples. Show others you care with a thoughtful card or gift or even to yourself.

Happy Valentine’s Monticello.