Valentine's Day is traditionally a day that celebrates love,
particularly that of the courtly, romantic and erotic kind. What is the
ideal gift? This is a question that ultimately, only the giver and
recipient can answer for themselves, although I certainly have some
suggestions, but first a little history of Valentines Day.
The origins of Valentine's day aren't entirely clear. There is a
strong connection to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was
held on the ides of February and dedicated to the god of fertility,
Faunus. Valentinus was apparently an early Christian priest who, during
the reign of Claudius II, performed secret marriages for young people
during a time when the Roman emperor had outlawed the sacrament.
Valentinus was later executed, becoming a martyr and eventually a saint.
The decision to celebrate the saint's day on February 14th may have
been an attempt to "Christianize" the popular Lupercalia festival,
although many vestiges of the original pagan customs remain. The first
recorded Valentine gift was a poem, composed by the Duke of Orleans in
1415 as he was held prisoner in the Tower of London following the Battle
of Agincourt. Meanwhile, the English king who put him there - Henry V -
hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a Valentine message to his
future queen, Catherine of Valois. The custom of exchanging
affectionate notes grew over the next half-millennium, and remains one
of the most popular Valentine expressions today.
The most popular Valentines Day presents
[http://www.giftbasketsplus.com/store/gift-baskets/valentines-day-gifts/]
today are cards, candy and flowers. Of course, the tradition of
exchanging cards is a very old one as we've seen - but while these
appeal to the heart, erotic love is still very much about the senses.
Since its introduction into Western culture (it was unknown outside of
Mesoamerica prior to the late 16th Century), chocolate in all its forms
has become the most popular confection on the planet. Not only does it
taste wonderful, the substance contains chemical compounds that act on
the brain in ways that release endorphins - the same chemicals that
surge through our bodies when we fall in love. Small wonder that gift
baskets full of gourmet chocolates are always appreciated.
Scent is another sense that has great bearing on feelings of
eroticism. Since time immemorial, men and women alike have used the
juices of flowers and other plants to make themselves smell attractive,
and of course pheromones - subtle, almost undetectable molecules of
scent given off by all mammals - have been a signal of sexual
receptivity for millions of years. Is it possible that the use of
perfumes and colognes are attempts to amplify or imitate the effects of
pheromones? I think so, which is why I recommend gift baskets filled
with herbal soaps and aromatic candles. Not only might these finely
scented gifts tune into a more carnal instinct, they will also certainly
be appreciated and used making them a wonderful gift sure to inspire a
big smile.
Of course, we cannot forget color. Although it may vary from one
culture to the next, in the West, pink, white and red have been the
traditional colors of love - white for purity, pink for emotion, and red
for sexuality. It's why roses of those colors are always so popular on
Valentines Day. I would suggest flowers as wonderful Valentines Day gifts,
although remember that flowers should only be an opener, you must be
able to do at least one better than flowers. I would also recommend
trying to bring all your gifts together with one theme. For instance if
you have gotten white and pink flowers, try finding gift baskets in just
those colors, thus tying all your gifts together.
Most importantly remember that personalized gifts mean more than
anything else. Be sure that each gift has its own meaning and is
special. This can be ensured by you the giver - if you haven't already,
create a reason why you are giving each gift, it will make each one that
much more special.
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