© Copyright Harleston Grapevine 2011
The Food of Love….
Whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or not, it is widely known that it's on February 14th and the Patron Saint of lovers is Saint Valentine. But how did it all come about?
Several stories have been handed down the centuries. One suggests that Valentine was a priest in 3rd century Rome who defied the Emperor's rules prohibiting young men to marry (Emperor Claudius II believed that single men made better soldiers) and continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young couples, for which he was put to death.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself. Whilst in prison it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young lady who visited him during his confinement and before his execution he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine", an expression that is still in use today.
Valentine greetings were popular in the Middle Ages (written Valentines didn't appear
until after 1400) and by the mid-
Chocolate is now the most common Valentine's gift with around £300,000,000 worth sold worldwide over Valentine's weekend. The connection with chocolate, however, is no accident! It contains endorphins that have been found to act as mood elevators and has been recognised for centuries by some cultures as an aphrodisiac.
So, when looking for a gift for someone you care about – whether it's Valentine's
Day or not – choose hand-