The Curious History of Valentine’s Day

Megan — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 20:48:54 +0000

Like it or not, Valentine’s Day is as ingrained into our culture as Christmas. It’s hard to avoid the in-your-face pinks and reds, all in anticipation of February 14. But commercialization aside, Valentine’s Day is a wonderful time to shower some love on our families.

Just where did this mushy day of love originate? Get ready to swoon! This site History.com explains that there are several versions of St. Valentine. One legend suggests that he was a Roman priest during the third century. When the emperor outlawed marriage for soldiers, Valentine disregarded the law and continued to secretly perform weddings for young couples. When caught, Valentine was martyred.

Another legend teaches that St. Valentine tried to help Christian prisoners escape the beatings and torture of Roman prisons. After he was caught and imprisoned, Valentine fell in love with a girl who visited him. He wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine” before he was killed. Whichever story you want to believe, St. Valentine was known to be popular, heroic and romantic.

It is believed that we celebrate St. Valentine on February 14 in an effort to “Christianize” an ancient pagan fertility festival held in mid February. Part of the festival included the pairing off of the young single men and women of the cities.

It’s kind of fun to learn the ancient legends behind our popular holidays! Why not share these stories with your grandkids as you engage them in some kids’ Valentine crafts?

Valentine coloring pages are a simple way to spend an afternoon together. You can also find a wide array free, printable Valentine cards here The Balance. If you’re up for something different, though, check out this clothes pin heart wreath. What an easy, darling Valentine craft!

Of course, Amazon offers Valentine stuff galore. Check out these fun, no-mess, removable gel window stickers. Speaking of stickers, if you know any sticker fans, they’ll love you forever when they see this set of over 1,000 Valentine stickers. The stickers cost under $20 shipped, and should last you until the day you die. Also, these Valentine pencils are perfect for passing out.

For your favorite LEGO fan, this Cupid dog set is adorable and costs only $10.

However you celebrate it with your grandkids, we hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day! Maybe you could break out your chocolate stash to share with your grandkids while they craft and play. (Orrrr, maybe not.)

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11 Valentine’s Day Ideas We Love!

Sherri — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 02:03:13 +0000

From dinner to dessert, gifts and decorations this collection of Valentine’s Day ideas has got you covered! We three sisters are all about family, food and fun. Our experience is that it is often the little things that have the biggest impact and create the most lasting memories. I am the baby of the family, and by far my favorite gifts from my sisters are the letters they wrote in my journal over the years expressing their love for me. A motto I try to live up to when it comes to my family is “Leave them with no doubt.”. I want to treat each of my family members in such a way that they have no doubt that I love them. So I LOVE celebrating Valentine’s Day with my family. I hope this collection we have tested and tried will help you to leave your loved ones with no doubt this Valentine’s Day. And to my family, the whole lot of you, thank you. All the little and big things you do to show your love all year round make me feel all mushy inside and so very, very blessed. I love you. Happy Valentine’s Day to one and all.

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We’re sharing these ideas at: Home Stories A to Z, A Bowl Full of Lemons

The post 11 Valentine’s Day Ideas We Love! appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

valentine activity Archives - TGIF - This Grandma is Fun

The Curious History of Valentine’s Day

11 Valentine’s Day Ideas We Love!