Valentines Day

I don't get Valentines Day. In fact I think it's one of the stupidest holidays to celebrate. With that being said I know tons of men and woman look forward to it. My biggest issue with Valentines Day is, why is it the one day a year men/woman should consider showing love to one another, buy flowers, cards, go to dinner, etc. I don't feel as if I need a special day to do those things to the one I love. Then you have men/woman who bitch if they don't get something. A woman I work with said yesterday "if he knows whats good for him, he'll make sure to buy me something, and take me to dinner" And that is my point. The holiday in today's world is just another expectation put upon someone. So what are my plans on Valentines?....same as every other Wednesday night. To those who celebrate, hope your expectations are met. Here is some information I found out about Valentines Day, it was pretty interesting. To bad Valentines Day no longer has the same meaning.

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.