Over the 16th and 17th centuries, European country folk engaged in all manner of quaint courtship rites involving herbs, rocks and secret messages on Valentine's Day. And with the emergence of reliable postal services in the mid-1800s, Valentine's Day was reinvented as an occasion for sentimental consumerism. Americans, as well as the English and French, went mad for the new craze of sending sweet nothings through the mail. Books filled with sample Valentine's love letters became bestsellers, and pretty soon the confectioners and florists got into the act. THE DAY devoted to showing your wife, husband, mother, sweetheart, et al.
Chocolate is traditional because it is so universally adored.
Luscious flavor aside, its chemical composition mimics the brain's psychochemistry when we are in love. Besides brain science, Valentine's Day is a great time to treat your sweetie to his or her favorite delights. Candlelight, a chance to dress up for each other and perhaps a bottle of bubbly are time-honored Valentine's traditions. An overnight at a beloved getaway is one of my favorite ways of spending Valentine's Day. Absolutely enjoy a special restaurant.