St. Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

The commonly accepted origin of Valentine's Day is from celebrating the Name day of Saint Valentine. He was a third century martyr, about whom little is known. However his Feast day is 14^th February and this is why this day has become Valentines Day.

The name Valentine is from the Latin Valens or validus meaning "strong"

It is believed St Valentine was a priest during the reign of the roman emperor Claudius the Second, during his reign he banned new marriages to try and encourage men to join his armies. St Valentine ignored this edict and would marry couples in secret however he was found out and put to death on 14^th February

Gradually' February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. The date was marked by sending poems and simple gifts such as flowers. There was often a social gathering or a ball.

The sending of Valentine's cards really caught on across Europe during the Victorian times and has remained popular ever since. 

Valentine's day present shopping online, buy your Valentines gifts here! 

We have pulled together a range of gift ideas for your Valentine and their are available via the hyperlinks below;

More Valentines Gift Ideas

History of Valentines Day How the Day Developed over time.

Valentine's Traditions and Symbols

During the Middle Ages, Valentine's Day grew increasingly popular across Europe. February 14^th was significant not only for its social meaning but also because it was widely believed that birds begin to mate on this date. Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400) mentions the mating of birds on Valentine's Day in his poem "Parliament of Foules."

In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Various symbols were used to indicate certain meanings.

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a box to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves and were their protectors. The expression "To wear your heart on your sleeve" nowadays means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man. If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him.

Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

Another symbol of Valentine's Day is Cupid. He is the playful little child that is often depicted flying around and shooting people with love arrows, causing them to fall for each other. Cupid also has Roman mythology origins and is seen as the source of love in the world. In Greek mythology, he is also known as Eros, son of Aphrodite, goddess of love. It is here that the myth of the gold tipped arrows of love originated. He was often depicted by artists as being a child with wings, carrying a bow and a quiver.

What Day of the week is Valentine's Day On?

Check out our Anniversary Calculations page to find out what day it is on plus other major anniversaries this year.

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