A Short Review of Valentine's Chocolate

We all know that Valentine's Day means love - and love means chocolate. But did you know there's more to Valentine's than just making your sweetie smile as you indulge her sweet tooth?

You'll hear different opinions on just how Valentine's Day got its start. Many say it began in the middle ages. People in those times thought that birds mated on the fourteenth of February. Since they saw the birds pairing off on that day, they started to send love letters.

Others attribute the day to pagan traditions, mainly with the Roman Lupercalia feast. This feast was celebrated every year in mid-February. It's said that women wrote love letters on this day and placed them in an earthen vessel. Men would draw these love letters out and lay claim to their lady for the next year.

Saint Valentine came into the picture with the early Christians. There's some controversy with his history as the Catholic Church has a few different saints with that name or similar. However, the most popular story states that Valentine was a man who performed secret marriages in the third century.

His marriages were performed secretly because the Emperor of the time, Claudius the Second, forbid marriage. He thought single men would be more likely to serve in the army. He had Valentine imprisoned for performing these marriages. The saint fell in love with the jailers daughter and sent her letters signed "from your Valentine." He was later executed.

As with all parts of the Valentine's story, there's more controversy over the sending of Valentines. Some say it started with the Duke of Orleans as he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. He wrote romantic letters to his wife while imprisoned in the tower.

It was sometime after all of these events that Valentine's Day candy began to be sent along with the cards. The mid-19th century saw the rise of gifts for Valentine's Day, and by the 20th century, candy and that delightful Valentine chocolate went right along with them.

The chocolates were often packed in red satin, heart shaped boxes. "Chocolate samplers" with multiple chocolates became very popular as gifts to give a sweetheart. Fudge is also a celebrated Valentine's candy.

Other countries also have their own chocolate traditions - Brazil has its own special Boyfriend/Girlfriend day which is much like our Valentine's day. Chocolates are exchanged by lovers on this day.

In Japan there is an interesting custom with Valentine chocolate - only the ladies give men chocolates! Women can give it to all men they know, co-workers, family, and friends. Men often measure their popularity by how many chocolates he's given on Valentine's Day. In fact, some men become very sensitive about the amount they receive. It's interesting to note that there's a day in March, called "White Day" when the men return the chocolate favors bestowed on them by the ladies. There are similar customs to these in Korea.

Other countries have similar Valentine's Day traditions to the United States - the European countries and China all give chocolates to their Sweethearts of Valentine's Day.

There's more to Valentine's Day - and the delicious little chocolate that has become such a traditional part of the holiday, than meets the eye!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristen_Burgess

Choosing Flowers For Valentine's Day

It's the small things that matter in a relationship. Sending pre-made bouquet is really easy but if you can handpick flowers and put them together, the effort behind it is what really matters. As you know roses are the top pick for Valentine's Day. In fact florists all over the world prepare of this day in advance. Florists in Sydney actually recommend that people pre book their roses well in advance!

So what can you do to make valentines more special?

• Firstly pick each and every one of your roses and take all the time you need. There is nothing like hand picking every flower. Each flower becomes a gift and has it own story to tell. It may be a small step but believe us when we say it means a lot.

• If you are extremely romantic you might not need too much help from us. What you can do is have roses delivered every hour to her home and office for every hour before you meet. She will be blown away.

• If you have planned a romantic getaway that isn't enough for that wow factor, have beautiful roses put all over the room and surprise her when you get there. The sheer number and magnitude of the gesture will bowl her over.

• You also have the option of edible blooms. If you think flowers and roses are a thing of the past, try a chocolate hamper. If she doesn't have sweet tooth how about a wine basket? You can get chocolate bouquets now that have the best chocolates in the world shaped like beautiful flowers. You can send them as an accompaniment with the flowers or by themselves. They come in various shapes and sizes so you can take your pick.

• It may sound a little over the top, but try a heart shaped bouquet. It may be a little corny but Valentine's Day is the one day being corny is actually allowed and applauded!

• Flowers have special meanings and if you want to say something special then you can try something extremely funky like giving a rare lotus that symbolises a new beginning!

• If you want to stick to roses play with the number. Here is a list of what the numbers of roses mean. One red rode for love at first sight, three to say I love you, 9 roses to promise togetherness for eternity, 10 for perfection, 11 to tell her she is treasured, 24 roses to ask her to be forever yours, 50 for that unconditional love, 108 roses to ask her to marry you and 1000 roses to tell her that you'll love her till the end of time.

Rose did have a special meaning when assigned to your spouse
therefore given as Valentine flower is the right moment, especially on Valentine's Day

The most simple gift on Valentine usual time given to a woman is at least the time valentine flowers valentine flower you give to a woman you care about because it can melt her heart as a token of your affection for her.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carla_Winters

Meaning of Red Roses in Love

The red rose not only carries the deepest meaning among all the rose colors - It is one of the universal symbols of love and affection. This flower's long, eventful history lends it a breadth of significance. The red rose has been incorporated into many works of art from classical poetry to paintings. It is also the inspiration for many artists and lovers across cultures.

Shakespeare made an allusion to roses in Romeo and Juliet, and the poet Robert Burns created a poem on the beauty of the red rose In the present day, the red rose figures not only in music and media, but also as religious and political symbols. Because of that, the red rose symbolizes courage, respect, and prosperity, making them an appropriate gift when we want to make a dramatic statement.

Among all these meanings however, love is what most people associate with this red flower. Any six-year old can tell you that a red rose is the traditional symbol for romance and love.

The red rose as we know it today was brought to Europe from China in 1800's, though the meanings people associate with them date back far longer than that. The color red itself was initially a primal symbol for life that eventually evolved into a metaphor for profound emotions. Early cultures across the globe used these red flowers for their traditional wedding attire and to decorate the wedding ceremony itself.

Because of these traditions, the red rose soon became known as the symbol for deep love and fidelity. As the practice of exchanging roses and other flowers as signs of affection grew more popular, the red rose became the flower of choice for lovers because it sends the strongest message of love. This tradition still lives on to the present day.

Sending someone a bouquet of red roses is still the most popular way to say "I love you." The red rose's rich and diverse heritage culminated in the modern day image of the lover's rose. It is the definitive symbol for romantic feelings and represents a true love stronger than thorns.

Red roses make meaningful gifts for expressing emotions during an anniversary, Valentine's day, or for no apparent reason at all. For new relationships and budding romances, a bouquet of red rosebuds signifies the start of romantic intentions, a message of commitment, and a tentative invitation to bring the relationship to the next level. Even a single, long-stemmed red rose can evoke a powerful response from its recipient. This is a trait no other flower can convey.