Sweet Valentines Presents

By charlie reese

Valentine's Day is the one day of the year set aside to officially express our love. Men seem to enjoy the opportunity to be his woman's knight in shining armor and women love being treated to this gallant and romantic demonstration of love.

It's the day Cupid comes, with his quiver of arrows, to set your beloved's heart afire. The traditional gifts are, of course, chocolate and roses. While these are always welcome gifts, oozing romance, don't you sometimes want to give your love a more personalized Valentine's gift? Here are a few ideas for a small Valentine's gift basket that packs a punch, emptying Cupid's quiver in a hurry. Nice things do come in small packages.

A love poem is perhaps the scariest Valentine's gift to some men. You may be afraid that putting your true thoughts to paper may prove to be too revealing. Don't hesitate to let your true love know just how you feel! You may be surprised to find that what you supposed to be an awkward expression of your love, melts the heart of your beloved. If you just can't bring yourself to write a love sonnet, go ahead and borrow! Shakespeare and Yeats have probably written a perfect love poem to give. For this Valentine's Day gift, all you need is a tiny, lidded Valentine's gift basket within which to insert a folded paper which contains your poem. Try calligraphy. This adds romance in a big way.

On a more practical note, you can use the same small, lidded Valentine's gift basket to present a gift certificate to your woman's favorite store " Victoria's Secret? You'll be as delighted as she is with her purchase!

Jewelry is another traditional Valentine's gift, so don't overlook this possibility if you can afford it. This one makes women swoon big time. A necklace, pendant, earrings, watch or bracelet is a memorable Valentine's day gift for any woman. This gift comes across best in semi-precious or precious stones, but it needn't be so expensive " there's just something about jewels and sparkle. Know that she'll remember this forever.

Another terrific Valentine's gift basket might contain tickets for two to the ballet, symphony, opera or a concert that you know your true love will enjoy. Even if you don't particularly enjoy such events yourself, this gift will endear you to your woman, because she'll know you're doing it to please her!

When we speak of this Valentine's gift basket, you don't necessarily need to use a wicker basket as your container. You might use a small pewter or silver box, such as a jewelry box. You could also make your basket of a fancy, Valentine themed coffee mug. This 'thinking outside the basket' can greatly enhance the duration of your romantic sentiments. She'll see the jewelry box every day and relive the romance each time she uses her mug.

About the Author:

Charlie Reese likes giving valentines and astrology advice on his horoscope website daily.

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Do you know who Cupid really is?

By Tracy Anderson

You've seen him in the movies, in cartoons and on numerous Valentine cards. But do you know who Cupid really is?

Now that Valentine's Day is just around the corner, here's a brief history of this timeless character who brings lovers together and mends broken hearts.

Of course, Cupid generally needs no introduction. He's that little boy with wings who shoots arrows that turn people into lovers. He is seen as either nude or diapered and is sometimes blindfolded - hence the expression "love is blind."

Cupid's name comes from the Latin word "cupido" which means desire. Although he is often pictured as a pious angel, Cupid was actually the god of erotic love and beauty in Roman mythology. His mission was to make people fall in love or engage in physical intimacy.

There are two sides to Cupid's origins. To the Greeks, he was known as Eros, the son of Nyx (the goddess of the night) and Erebus (the symbol of darkness and shadow) who delighted in debauchery.

In the Roman version, Cupid was the son of Mars (the god of war) and Venus, the goddess of love. To the Romans, Cupid was a lively youth, a practical joker and one who liked to spread love.

Both versions, however, tell the same story. Cupid's mom Venus was extremely jealous of the beautiful Princess Psyche who was loved by the people.

Infuriated at the thought that more people were worshipping Psyche, Venus ordered Cupid to shoot the former with an arrow. Her goal was to make Psyche fall in love with the poorest and ugliest man in the world.

But Venus' evil plan went wrong. When Cupid saw Psyche, he was struck by her awesome beauty and dropped an arrow on his foot. That made him fall in love with the lovely princess.

"Following that, Cupid visited Psyche every night in his invisible form and told her not to try to see him. Psyche, though, incited by her two older sisters who told her Cupid was a monster, tried to look at him and angered Cupid. When he left, she looked all over the known world for him until at last the leader of the gods, Jupiter, gave Psyche the gift of immortality so that she could be with him. Together they had a daughter, Voluptas (Pleasure) and Psyche became a goddess of the soul," according to the editors of Wikipedia.

Through the years, Cupid has emerged as a popular symbol of Valentine's Day. This famous icon and his tale of undying love have inspired lovers throughout the world.

About the Author:

So the next time you celebrate Valentine's Day, don't forget the story of Cupid. To make sure that you do it in style, nothing is more romantic than sending your loved one a bouquet of beautiful red roses or other special flowers professionally designed and hand delivered by your local florist. For details, visit http://www.discountflowerdeliverycanton.info/.

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