Inexpensive Valentine Gift Ideas

By Susanne Myers

Over the past few decades, Valentine's Day has gone from a fun little romantic holiday into a fully commercialized day that's all about buying expensive flowers and even jewelry. Gone are the days where this day was about showing how much you cared about one another, or is it? With a little creativity, you can come up with some very unique and inexpensive valentine gift ideas.

Make Your Own Cards

Buying a pretty Valentine's Day Card has gotten expensive. Make your own card by digging through the craft box. All you need is a sheet of cardstock or even construction paper and a few decorations. Write a personal message on and inside the card. Dig through some old pictures and find one of the two of you. Cut out a heart shape from red or pink construction paper and cute a whole inside, just big enough to fit the picture. Glue the picture on the card, then glue the heart on top of it. Use other heart shapes, stickers, markers, glitter and any other crafting supplies you have lying around to finish the card.

Homemade Treats

You're also not stuck with having to buy expensive boxed chocolates. Surprise your sweetheart this year with some homemade treats instead. Dip some large strawberries in melted dark chocolate and allow them to dry on some wax paper. Sprinkle some chopped nuts or coconut flakes on the chocolate before it dries. Or allow it to harden and then melt some white chocolate. Pour the melted white chocolate into a Ziploc bag. Make small hole in the corner of the bag and use it to drizzle white chocolate over your chocolate covered strawberries. You can also make a batch of heart shaped sugar cookies, chocolate chip or peanut butter cookies decorated with a chocolate kiss, or even your favorite brownie recipe.



The Gift Of Your Time

One of the most precious gifts we can give these days is our time. With our many obligations, we often don't spend as much time as we'd like to with loved ones. Take an afternoon or even a whole day off and spend it together. Go to a movie, grab some lunch, take a walk together or do anything else the two of you enjoy. Cook dinner together and then snuggle up on the couch to watch a good movie. It doesn't really matter what you do as long as you make an effort to spend this special time together.

Menu Mailer - Make Dinner Easier

For an inexpensive gift that keeps giving all year long, make dinner easier with a menu mailer. Wouldn't it be nice to get a list of dinner ideas along with the recipes and a pre-made grocery list? With all the planning already done for him or her, the two of you will have more time to enjoy each other's company each night.

About the Author
For healthy menu planning visit the Healthy Menu Mailer at http://www.healthymenumailer.com and for a family friendly menu mailer with kid-friendly recipes visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info/

How To Negotiate With Your Valentine.

By Mary Greenwood

Ever notice that you get into a fight or argument with your beloved on Valentine’s Day? Somehow on the most romantic day of the year, you end up having a heated discussion when you had expected a romantic candle-lit dinner. Here are some tips for negotiating with your Valentine this year.

1. You Don’t Have To Be Right to Settle

Did you know that there are three words we want to hear, even more than “I love you?” We love to here those three magic words, “You are right.” For some this is even harder to say than “I love you.” And if you say, “You are absolutely right”, that is even sweeter. When someone says, “It is the principal that counts”, that usually means that being right is more important that resolving the dispute. You have to get beyond who is right and who is wrong and get to what is going to resolve the negotiation. Feeling that you are right can be a heady emotion, but it has no place in a negotiation, especially with a loved one. Try saying, “You are absolutely right” and see what happens.

2. Don’t get distracted by your emotions.

This may be sound contradictory but negotiating with your spouse or loved ones can sometimes be more difficult that negotiating with business colleagues. It is easier to get your feelings hurt because of the emotional investment in the relationship. If you want to have a successful Valentine’s Day, it is important to check your emotions at the door, even if you are upset about something your spouse has said or done. You need to get past this stage if you are going to have a nice Valentine season. Try to put those feelings of anger or resentment aside for a couple of days. You can always revisit those issues in March.

3. Look Forward Not Back. The Past Is Called The Past For A Reason

Do you ever notice that sometimes negotiations with loved ones tend to be the same argument over and over? Valentine’s season is not the time to dredge up old disputes. The past is the called the past for a reason. Refraining from bringing up those past arguments will help you stay in the present. If your loved one is too involved in the past, get them into the present by asking them what they want now to resolve the dispute. By staying in the present, you will have a better chance of resolving today’s negotiation.

4. Familiarity Can Breed Contempt

Sometimes the parties know each other so well that they use that information against each other and push each other’s buttons. This is one reason we have the same arguments over and over. This is called passive hostility. Sometimes we will say something just to get a reaction just because we can. Refrain from baiting your loved one. If your loved one is doing this to you, you need to put a stop to it. Point out what he or she is doing. Ask them for a truce during Valentine season and see what happens.

5. Lower Your Expectations

One reason that romantic plans go awry is that the expectations are too high. First of all, if there is something you want to do or somewhere you want to go, let your Valentine know. Don’t expect the other side to be a mind reader or you will likely be disappointed. If you want to go to a particular restaurant, offer to make the reservations or drop some hints. If your goal is to have a pleasant evening with dinner and a movie, you can probably achieve that. If your goal is to have the most romantic evening of the year, you will inevitably be disappointed.

I hope these tips will help you have a great Valentine’s Day!

Mary Greenwood, Miami Beach Attorney and Mediator has written an award-winning book, How to Negotiate like a Pro, 41 Rules for Resolving Disputes, which is available at Books and Books Bookstore and online at http://www.barnesandnoble.com or http://www.amazon.com . To contact Mary, Visit http://www.Marygreenwood.com or email her at Howtonegotiate@aol.com DIY Award 2006, Los Angeles, California, Best “How To” Book

3 Romantic Ways To Propose On Valentine's Day

by Sara Fox

Many men use Valentine's Day as the day to propose to their loved one. After all, it is the most romantic day of the year and it is a day you will always remember as the special day that you decided to become one. So, what are some romantic ways to propose? Here is a list of three ways to propose on Valentine's Day that will definitely thrill your girlfriend.

1. Do it in front of her family

This all depends on how traditional your girlfriend is, of course. If she does not get along well with her family, this is a bad plan. But, if you know she is very close to her mother, father, siblings, grandparents, cousins, etc., this can be a great idea. Have them help you plan the special day.

Assign one of them to ask her to come to a family reunion on Valentine's Day in order to get everyone together. Inform them of the real plan, but have them keep the secret from your girlfriend. When she tells you about the "reunion", complain a bit about the "reunion" being on Valentine's Day, but do not over do it to the point where she decides not to go.

If that happens, remind her that family is important and even though you would rather take her to a romantic dinner alone, you will go to the "reunion". If you are very traditional, ask her parents for her hand in marriage before the party. Let the "reunion" go on for a while, so she really believes it is real. Designate a time when you are going to pop the question and inform the others beforehand (so they know it is going to happen) like when you put on a certain song or say something in particular.

Then, drop to one knee; tell her how special she is and that you've already received her parent's permission to ask for her hand. Tell her you love her, ask her to marry you and give her the ring. Chances are she will say yes and the whole room will burst into applause. Make sure in advance that you have spoken to someone in the family about taking photos or a video when you ask so you will have the moment preserved on film.

2. Plan a weekend getaway

If Valentine's Day is on the weekend, plan a getaway destination such as Las Vegas or Miami. This is a great way to propose if she likes doing spontaneous things and loves to travel. Don't tell her until Friday afternoon when she gets off work. Pick her up at the office and say she has 30 minutes to get packed, that you have planned a weekend trip. To do this you will need to plan several things in advance.

You will need to get either airline tickets, train tickets (traveling by train can be very romantic), or get the driving directions. Make sure you have reservations at a romantic hotel. For example, if you are going to Miami, try to get a room on the beach. If you are going to Las Vegas, try to get a suite on the Strip at one of the nice hotels. You will have to have the stuff you will need for the weekend packed - including the ring. Hopefully, she will be so excited by the trip, she will think that is what the weekend is about. But, at a great romantic moment, like a walk on the beach or in front of the Bellagio when the fountains are going off, propose to her. If you are in Las Vegas, you can even get married there the same weekend.

3. Borrow from her favorite click flick

Most women love romantic click flicks and many include a proposal. If you know a movie she loves that has a romantic proposal scene, reenact it with her. If My Best Friend's Wedding is her favorite movie, just holler out "Will you marry me?" as she is getting in her car to drive away. It is even better if she is getting on the train (which is how the movie version actually goes). If An Officer and a Gentleman is her favorite movie, walk in to her office, just pick her up in your arms, and carry her out. As you are carrying her out, ask her to marry you.

For this, you should probably consult her boss first. If she loves Sex and the City and you have a dog, take the dog out for a walk with her. When you stop to bend over and scoop the poop, pull out the ring just like Aidan did for Carrie. If you are not sure what her favorite chick flick is, ask. You can always use the premise that you are thinking about buying her the DVD copy for Valentine's Day. Be sure to ask for a few of her favorites to be sure to find one that has a romantic proposal.

Proposing on Valentine's Day is a great idea and one that your girlfriend will surely love. If you have the right setting, it can be very romantic and something that you both will tell your grandchildren about one day.


About the Author
Sara Fox is the owner of StValentinesDayGifts.com. Get more Valentines day ideas by reading her newest tips on "How to Create a Romantic Valentine's Day Evening at Home".

Tips for a Perfect Valentine's Day

By Ovi Dogar

Every year at 14th February all across the world we're celebrating Valentine's Days in the name of love and romance. Many flowers and romantic gifts are exchanged between loved ones showing each other their feelings.

Love is a special feeling and so it must be expressed in an extraordinary way. Valentine's Day is the perfect day to express your feeling and to propose your loved one. Everyone knows that the perfect proposal is convoyed by the perfect gifts. Valentine's Day gifts are most important to express your heartfelt feelings and to make your day memorable in its way.

Receiving a Valentine's Day gift is a magical experience. It makes people smile, happy. The person that offers a gift in this special day wants to show that he cares about the other.

With Valentine's Day not too far off, it's never too soon to start thinking about making special plans for your loved ones. Whether it is a special gift, romantic date, or even a poem you wrote.

On Valentine's Day it is very important to show your love to your partner and make her feel special. Here are some ideas which might help you.

If you want to have a romantic day you should start by cooking a favorite meal, a dinner for two. The color, flavor and smell food play an important part in a successful romantic meal.

Valentine dinners should be special. Choose your sweetie's favorite foods and surprise her with a wonderful romantic meal and a special table set for two. Use your most delicate china and crystal. A few candles, a small bowl of fresh flowers, some heart shape cookies, and a bottle of wine or champagne will complete the atmosphere.

On Valentine's Day decorations speak the heart for you! So all you have to do this Valentine's Day is to make the ambiance irresistibly romantic and set the decorations warm, snug and lovely. Valentine's Day decorations can be done with flowers, ribbons, candies or just with paper and cloth.

No matter which way you do it, the decorations for Valentine's Day should just be perfect and help set the stage for a memorable celebration. The first thing that should be kept in mind before laying your hands on Valentine's Day decorations is that red or shades of red is the color to go for. So make sure you have lots of red, crimson or pink around.

If you want to spend this day at home, you can sprinkle rose petals around the house. Place heart-shape candles around your home to create the right mood.

Buy her flowers. Most preferred in this day are roses, especially the red ones. Red roses can mean a lot of things, they say, everything from courage to respect, but around this time of year they mean one thing - sincere love. Other times of the year, a single red rose will do the trick, but play it safe with a dozen at Valentine's Day.

Hide love letters - write a bunch of love letters and stash them in places your mate typically looks.

I love you is a powerful phrase and saying I love you is a big step in any relationship. Learn the right time to say I love you and give yourself the best chance of hearing "I love you too!"

As a gift you can take her a perfume or even lingerie. But if you take her only lingerie she will think that the only think you want from her is sex. In that case don't forget about flowers or sweets for you sweetheart.

Jewelry is always a favorite for woman. You can take her some diamonds, earrings, or just buy a heart-shaped locket and put a picture of yourself in it. Personalize the locket with your loved one's initials so she'll have something to wear that's hers alone.

Wherever you choose to spend this beautiful day with your partner remember to make her feel special, to create that magical atmosphere, a day that she'll never forget.

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day!



About the Author
If you are single and don't have with whom to spend Valentine's Day you may find a beautiful woman at www.eBridex.com

Valentine's Day Symbols.

By Sean Carter

What are the first few things that come to your mind when you think of Valentine's Day ? Cupids, flowers, candies, doves or hearts ? Well it is only normal to associate these with Valentine's Day as they pretty much are the most popular Valentine's Day symbols. There are various symbols related to Valentine's Day, and these Valentine’s Day symbols often feature in the gifts and other tokens of love given out on February 14 or Valentine's Day. Cupid is numero uno when it comes to Valentine’s Day symbols, but there are many other symbols of Valentine's Day which you may be interested to check out. So read on.

Red Rose

The red rose is as big a symbol of Valentine's Day as the turkey is of Thanksgiving ! Roses symbolize love, compassion, peace, friendship and romance. But when it comes to red roses, they sure stand for one thing—the intensity of your love and passion for that special someone. Now this would be interesting to note that if you rearrange the letters in the word ‘rose’, you get ‘Eros’—the God of love (or Cupid). So rose is one of the leading Valentine’s Day symbols that rule hearts every February 14. And apart from the color red, roses of other colors are also sent out on Valentine's Day to convey different messages.

Hearts

Then the heart is the warmest Valentine’s Day symbol because it represents love in its purest form. Giving someone your heart means giving him/ her the thing that is most precious and vital to you. In a nutshell, a heart symbolizes life !

Birds

Have you and your beloved ever been called love-birds ? Well, ‘love-birds’ is a word often used to indicate couples deeply in love. Birds are an important Valentine’s Day symbol as it is widely believed that birds find their mates on Valentine's Day. The Herricks have come to symbolize undying love. Doves on the other hand, are symbols of purity, humbleness and virtue. Pigeons and doves, it is said, mate for life and so are symbols of fidelity.

Ribbons and Frills

Ribbons and frills are the Valentine's Day symbols since the days of knighthood. It is said that maidens would give their beloveds (kings or soldiers) ribbons and frills before the latter went to war. The men used to keep the ribbons and frills with them while they fought.

Lace

Lace is also traditionally associated with love. How, you ask ? Well, in the past, if a woman liked a man, she dropped her lace handkerchief to send a signal to the man, and if the man picked it up for her, the feelings were thought to be mutual. Apart from lace, another well-known Valentine's Day symbol is the love-knot. Love knots have a series of intertwining and meandering knots without any beginning or end. These are the symbols of endless and eternal love.

Cupid

Think of Valentine’s Day and images of cute fat cupids and throbbing red hearts of various sizes are sure to dance in your mind. Why, you ask? Well, the cupids and hearts are the most powerful Valentine's Day symbols as you perhaps already know. The associations are so strong and deep-rooted that even a child will know it’s time for Valentine’s Day when he/ she spots cupids and hearts hanging in shop-windows and greeting card stores. The chubby cherubic being and that plush crimson riot of hearts sweep people off their feet irrespective of age and location. Such is the potential of these two Valentine's Day symbols—the god of love, Cupid and the indispensable pulsating organ within us, the heart. They create an instant connection without any medium of speech and they symbolize Valentine’s Day—the day of love !

Cupid is the son of the Roman goddess Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Cupid consequently became the popular god of love and it is believed that whoever Cupid strikes with his arrow, instantly falls madly in love. It is for this that the Cupid has come to be associated with Valentine’s Day and has become the most cherished Valentine's Day symbol. For those who don’t know, the Cupid looks like a little child with an innocent face, golden curls and blue eyes. He has a pair of wings and always carries a bow an arrow with him. So watch out for the Cupid…Valentine's Day is here and he may strike you any moment !

Now there you have the various symbols associated with Valentine's Day. So next time you pick a red rose for your beloved, or wrap a candy heart with a ribbon, do remember their symbolic connotations. That would ad more meaningfulness to your Valentine’s Day celebration, wouldn’t it ? And Valentine's Day would not have been half as special without the Cupids, roses, ribbons, laces, and decorated hearts around. So celebrate Valentine's Day with all the lovely Valentine's Day symbols and have a simply fabulous time !

Sean Carter writes on holidays, Valentine's Day and world events. He is a writer with special interest in ecard industry and writes for 123greetings.com. He is an active blogger at Valentines Day Blog.

Valentine's Day gifts.

By Sean Carter

It’s quite a famous fact that exchanging of romantic and warm Valentine’s Day special gifts and greetings form the major part of this second most popular holiday of the year. And, in today’s world of towering commercialism, the tradition of gift-giving on Valentine’s Day is exploring newer shores. Turn your eyes around when the month of February dawns over the calendar, and you can’t help spot the renewed flood of sweet Valentine’s Day gifts in every store every year—those heart-shaped candy boxes decked up in red silk ribbons, those cute little cupids, those cuddly soft-toys or may be those sweet-smelling Valentine blooms—all these make D-day look all the more beautiful! Every year the stores come up with newer Valentine’s Day gift ideas to lure the starry-eyed gift hunters on the prowl during this time.

Research shows that the top recipients of Valentine’s Day gifts and greetings are couples (both steady and wanna-be), children, grandchildren and parents. But you can also send your wishes or gift a token of love to your ex-love, your friends, your latest crush, your neighbors or may be to someone who’s more than friends. Now, flowers and candies are so far the best and the most universal of all Valentine’s Day gifts. You can also wish your dear teachers a very ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ accompanied by a warm ‘thank you’ note. It’s sure to touch them deep and set their hearts aglow on this special occasion of love. Then again, you can pick some mushy love songs for the love of your life or you can make your significant other feel utterly significant by surprising her with a romantic holiday trip to some oh-so-nice nook of the earth. These are ideas which are sure to do the magic on the recipient. And rest assured your Valentine’s Day is going to be a memorable one. Kisses count as great Valentine’s Day gifts too. You can shower your kisses on Valentine’s Day because it has historically become a coveted gift for this very special holiday.

Now if you aren’t having a partner right now, don’t croak and frown. You can get someone into the spirit of love with a candid ‘Be My Valentine’ note, can’t you? Or may be you can impress your flame with some love funologies. Wouldn’t that be some love-ly Valentine’s Day gift ideas? And if you’re not among the luckier ones and have a distance to conquer to get in touch with your loved ones, just tell them how much you’re missing them on Valentine’s Day. You can send some virtual gifts his/ her way or you can ship a gift of your choice over the seas to be delivered sharp on February 14. But remember, nothing surpasses a hug when it comes to Valentine’s Day gifts. This isn’t something money can buy, nor does it run the risks of over-usage or the disgrace of becoming cliché. Maybe that’s what makes them more precious. Hugs can convey things which perhaps no other material Valentine’s Day gift can. So hold your loved ones close to you and give them a sweet squeeze on this sweet occasion of Valentine’s Day. Speak your heart out as best as you can, say ‘I Love You’ as many times you want, hug your dear ones as much as you can and make them feel warm all over as soon as you can with wonderful gifts and gift ideas!

Here’s wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day too!

Sean Carter writes on holidays, Valentine's Day and world events. He also writes on family, relationships, celebrations, religion, love and friendship. He is a writer with special interest in ecard industry and writes for 123greetings.com. He is an active blogger at Valentines Day Blog.

Origin of Valentines's Day

By Sean Carter

People have been in love from time immemorial. It would be unjust to ascribe any particular history and origin to love and the feelings that come with it. But Valentine’s Day, the day which celebrates love worldwide, sure has a history and origin of its own. February is historically chosen to be the month of love and romance and the month to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Can you possibly overlook the deluge of love-drenched feelings, the slushy outbreak of ‘being in love’ and the pervasion of the color red all around when the calendar turns to the month of February? No. None of us can! For, the one thing that’s inextricably linked to the month of February is Valentine’s Day—the most coveted celebration after Christmas and a day kept aside to let love rule everywhere. Come what may, the hype and hoopla surrounding Valentine’s Day never goes unnoticed, no matter which part of the world you are placed in! And Valentine’s Day incidentally is the 2nd largest card-sending occasion, after Christmas.

Valentine’s Day has shadows of both the Christian and Roman traditions. Celebrated famously on February 14 every year, some believe that Valentine’s Day has its history and origin in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. The latter was an annual feasting and celebration by the Romans to keep fearful wolves at bay from damaging their crops. Lupercalia was celebrated on February 15 with the young men striking the women because it was believed that these blows would make them more fertile. This association of Lupercalia with fertility is probably one reason why Valentine’s Day is linked to this ancient Roman festival. Also, on the eve of Lupercalia, which is on February 14, it was quite popular for young women to find their partners for the festival. The romantic origin of Valentine’s Day can even be traced to this practice.

No matter what the history and origin of Valentine’s Day includes, it sure includes this patron saint named St. Valentine. Now history even has it that there has been more than one legend related to St. Valentine. Summing two legends, we now know that there were two saints (of the same name Valentine) belonging to the early Christian church. One legend holds that when the Roman Emperor Claudius II forbade young men to marry to make better soldiers out of single men, a priest named Valentine defied the orders and secretly married young couples. Consequently he was beheaded on February 14 for his ‘crime’. Some even hold that Valentine was killed for trying to help Christians escape the atrocities prevailing in the Roman prisons. But whatever the facts, ever since, February 14 came to be celebrated as Valentine’s Day commemorating this great patron of people in love worldwide. The other story talks of another Valentine who was a children’s favorite but was despised by the Romans for his religious defiance. The Romans had him behind the bars but the children still managed to send fond messages to their favorite Valentine. The current custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine’s Day might have roots to this age-old tale.

Yet another legend holds that when Valentine was in prison, he fell in love with the prison guard’s daughter. And history states that before his death, he wrote a letter to his beloved signing off as ‘From your Valentine’. It’s not known to which extent these Valentine’s Day legends related to its origin are true, but this expression ‘From your Valentine’ sure caught hold like wildfire. And people still send gifts and cards on Valentine’s Day with this tag hanging from them—‘From your Valentine’! So you keep the tradition going too.

Probably, the Americans began exchanging handmade Valentine’s Day cards in the early years of the eighteenth century. And around 1840, a person called Esther A. Howland began selling the first big production of Valentine’s Day greetings in America. Now, apart from all the facts and figures of Valentine’s Day history and origin, one thing that’s for sure is the choice of February as the month for celebrating love. In ancient Rome, February was the official kick-off month for the season of spring and was a time to feel happy all over again. Then in the Middle Ages, it was quite a popular belief in France and England that February was the birds’ mating season. All these and many more taken together contributed to the consolidation of mid-February as the time for Valentines.

Finally, around 498 AD, Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 as St. Valentine’s Day!

Sean Carter writes on holidays, Valentine's Day and world events. He also writes on family, relationships, celebrations, religion, love and friendship. He is a writer with special interest in ecard industry and writes for 123greetings.com. He is an active blogger at Valentines Day Blog.

Make A Unique Card: History of Valentine, Cupid's Story

By Sandra Hedditch

Around the year 270 A.D. The Roman Emperor Claudius-II was worried that Rome had become so big that it was getting harder to defend. So he made a rule that his soldiers were not allowed to marry as he believed that married men had emotional ties and did not concentrate on their duties.

At this same time the Priest Valentine could see the trauma this caused for young lovers, and so met with them in secret to perform marriages. Claudius found out and ordered Valentine’s arrest and on 24th of February 270 Valentine was executed.

Before his death while in prison Valentine wrote a love letter to his own sweetheart, Asterius, on the 14th of February, and signed it from your Valentine, this phrase has lived on ever since and Valentine has been remembered for his romantic compassion.

Asterius was his jalor’s daughter the jailor had asked Valentine to cure her of blindness, Valentine did this through his faith, and they became close.

Valentine became a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14th. The greeting cards acquired Saint Valentine's name.

The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest valentine’s cards was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.

One legend tells the story of Cupid and the mortal maiden, Psyche. Venus was jealous of the beauty of Psyche, and ordered Cupid to punish the mortal. But instead, Cupid fell deeply in love with her. He took her as his wife, but as a mortal she was forbidden to look at him. Psyche was happy until her sisters convinced her to look at Cupid.

Cupid punished her by departing. Their lovely castle and gardens vanished with him and Psyche found herself alone in an open field As she wandered to find her love, she came upon the temple of Venus. Wishing to destroy her, the goddess of love gave Psyche a series of tasks, each harder and dangerous than the last.

For her last task Psyche was given a little box and told to take it to the underworld. She was told to get some of the beauty of Proserpine, the wife of Pluto, and put it in the box.

During her trip she was given tips on avoiding the dangers of the realm of the dead. She was warned not to open the box.

Temptation would overcome Psyche and she opened the box. But instead of finding beauty, she found deadly slumber Cupid found her lifeless on the ground. He gathered the sleep from her body and put it back in the box.

Cupid forgave her, as did Venus. The gods, moved by Psyche's love for Cupid made her a goddess.

Giving a card is a wonderful way of showing your love to that someone special and even more so when you take the time to make it yourself. Here I will tell you how to make a card that use to be very fashionable a good few years ago, but sadly are no longer available, these cards had beautiful padded silk fronts and scented with Rose or Lavender perfume.

You will need

• 1 30cm by 21cm card color of your choice
• 1, 15cm by 12cm card
• red silk 18cm by 15cm
• pinking shears
• flock or cotton-wool
• needle and white cotton
• About 3 to 4cm wide by 50cm long white lace
• glue
• Gold pen optional
• And your loved ones favorite perfume.

First of all you need to cut a heart shape from the smaller heart should measure across widest part 11cmand 14cm from top to point, use as a template to cut silk just slightly bigger with the pinking shears to stop fraying.

Glue some padding to the card and spray with perfume place the silk over the top and glue edges to the back of the card, then take the lace and with needle and cotton using running stitch thread all along one side then gather up until it fits around heart shape making sure gathers are even. Glue edge to back of card so a little shows at front. Now take larger card and fold in half glue heart shape to center of it.

Using the gold pen, write Be My Valentine at the top, or you could use gold stick on letters. Now all you need is to write a romantic phrase or poem inside and there you have a beautiful Valentine’s card.

NB: For a man use a black card and leave the lace off.

To make a gift box for a small gift, you can pick up a heart shape box from your local craft shop. Paint it red and glue in some cotton-wool for a little padding and line with white silk, this makes a beautiful complement to the card and placing a gold or silver necklace, bracelet or special made chocolates inside is just so romantic. NB: For a man place a chunky signet ring or a watch in the box. Happy Valentine's Day

About the Author:

Sandra is a retired Primary School Craft Teacher, who excels in the fine art of crafts -And has just written an E-Book on a craft she invented look out for it at http://imagine-craft.com/index.php Who knows you may get inspired to make something yourself.

History and Meaning of Valentine’s Gifts.

By Natalie Aranda

“Love from your Valentine”, this was the message that was once passed by a very brave Christian martyr who gave his life for love. And he didn’t give it for his own love but for other’s love. He took everyone’s pain and gave everyone the love of their life. This was the great sacrifice that a man made. His name was Saint Valentine.

History

The history takes us back to the Roman period when King Claudius ruled. Earlier it is said that Valentines Day was started in Rome. The day was celebrated as a festival to honor the queen of Roman gods. She is recognized as the goddess of the female sex and matrimony. The next day was celebrated as the Lupercalia Feasts. On the eve of this festival only the youth were allowed to be together and rest of the time they were strictly kept separate. This was the theory that gives the origin of Valentines Day.

Another theory that gives the history of Valentines Day is the sacrifices that a Christian martyr named Valentine made for love. There was a requirement of a huge army, which the emperor of Rome was unable to make. It was only because there were many people who didn’t want to involve themselves in wars and go away from their families. So there was a great problem that Claudius the cruel was facing. So he came up with a very nice idea that sufficed his needs. He stopped people from entering into marriages. For this he passed a law also. But there were people who were against this law and also didn’t want to follow. So a priest named Valentine conducted marriages secretly. This laid down the foundation of Saint Valentine’s day which is now celebrated worldwide. This day is celebrated as this brave martyr died on this day.

Valentines gifts

Earlier Valentines Day was celebrated by exchanging love notes and expressions. People used to send anonymous letters and cards to their loved ones. But nowadays gifts have dominated the scene. However, giving gifts doesn’t mean that love has turned materialistic. But it in fact expresses your love and your emotions.

Your love is always true but is a waste if it is not expressed. And there are many gifts that are available in the stores that are specially designed for this occasion only. Valentine’s Day not only expresses your love and your emotions but will also win the heart of your sweetheart.

Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. Earlier Valentines Day was celebrated by exchanging love notes and expressions. People used to send anonymous letters and cards to their loved ones. But nowadays Valentine's gifts have dominated the scene. However, giving gifts doesn’t mean that love has turned materialistic. But it in fact expresses your love and your emotions. You can find Valentine's gifts for girlfriend, for boyfriend, or for wife on many online gift stores.

Valentines Day Crafts.

By Eric Morris

Valentine’s Day is adorned with numerous craft specialties. Handmade crafts infuse Valentine’s Day with a special color. Numerous easy-to-make craft ideas swarm the mind long before the advent of the day.

A simple and unique craft item could enrich the special bonds between two lovers. Valentine’s Day candles are a popular item in the craft bag collection. All one needs to do is melt some paraffin inside a can placed in a pan of hot water. One could then paste the melted paraffin over some construction paper cut out the shape of hearts. This could be glued to a candle and as a finishing touch a ribbon could be tied around the base of candle. A collage of special memoirs could comprise the craft theme for lovers on Valentine’s Day. It could be a collection of photographs, simple treasures like gift wrappers, old cards or any other special memory.

Crafts for Valentine’s Day also include special wall hangings. The main features of these wall hangings are heart-shaped paper designs and images of cupid with a bow and arrow. These wall hangings could also incorporate some special personalized messages. Another creative craft item for the day is a Valentine’s Day address book. A simple address book can be enwrapped in a decorated piece of fabric cloth. The edges of this could be stitched, and a red ribbon with a few heart-shaped trinkets can be tied around it. This gives the address book a perfect Valentine’s Day touch to it.

For children, a great Valentine’s Day craft idea is the making of a Valentine’s Day heart crown. This can be easily prepared from a paper plate and construction paper. As accessories, strings of hearts and beads could be attached to it. The exquisite crown would surely excite the children with a princely and fairytale touch on Valentine’s Day.

Another wonderful craft idea for children would be to fill an empty baby food jar with a cinnamon-sugar mixture and candies. The lid of this jar is covered with paper cupcake holders and red hearts that are placed on it. “Happy Valentine's Day!” is written on an address label that is stuck at the outside of the jar. Besides this, a fuzzy bear craft would keep the kids busy for Valentine’s Day.

There are many more crafts for Valentine’s Day. The list is unending. In short, any simple handwork could be transformed as a craftwork for Valentine’s Day. In an age where ready-made crafts and gifts are the order of the day, and time is a constraint, simple and unique handmade crafts could add that special touch of exclusivity to Valentine’s Day.

Valentines Day provides detailed information on Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Gifts, Valentine's Day Gift Baskets, Valentine's Day Cards and more. Valentines Day is affiliated with Mexican Holidays.