The Garlic: St. Valentine

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day!

Well. today be the Big V day, and, no, we're not referring to some WWII riff, but rather St. Valentine's Day.

While the day has been hijacked by extreme commercialism (greeting cards, candy, lingerie, and just about any other gift that can be wrapped up in red and/or placed in a heart-shaped box.

And the indoctrination starts early, usually in grammar school, where young children are supposed to make Valentine's for each other, and perhaps, heart-shaped cookies and cake are served.

Wikipedia doesn't offer much in explaining just what the day is all about;

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day,[2][3][4] is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions.[2][4] The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs, Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD. It was deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, but its religious observance is still permitted.[citation needed] It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.[5]

And, the History.com admits it's not entirely clear how all this started, they do offer one good myth;

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.

Hmmm ...A prison letter as the most romantic symbol ...

Got that.

Get yourself thrown in the slammer and then pen a most heartfelt declaration of love to your lover.

Anything less, then you're a piker.

Meanwhile, here's a couple of tunes you can plug into your romance-filled evening.

Esther Satterfield - Chase The Clouds Away (1976)

DINDI WILLIE BOBO VIDEO