For those who embrace the romantic tradition, here is your hub with direct links to all Valentine’s related stories as written by the Goulburn Post.
Feel free to share your own tips on how to survive the day, or even post something special for your special someone on our Facebook page, via twitter with the hash-tag #GoulburnValentine or in a comment on our message board feature.
Where it all began...
There are many theories on the origin of Valentine’s Day, but the most popular dates back to the time of the Roman Empire.
During the reign of Claudius II, 270 A.D. Claudius didn’t want men to marry during wartime because he believed single men made better soldiers.
Bishop Valentine went against his wishes and performed secret wedding ceremonies, and was jailed and executed by order of the Emperor on February 14.
While in jail, he wrote a love-note to the jailor’s daughter, signing it, “From your Valentine.”
Did you know...
♥ In 1537, England's King Henry VII officially declared Feb. 14 the holiday of St. Valentine's Day.
♥ Every year around 1 billion Valentine cards are sent across. After Christmas it's a single largest seasonal card-sending occasion.
♥ Mother's day and valentine's day are the two biggest occasions on which flowers are given
♥ The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. The color red stands for strong romantic feelings making the red rose the flower of love.
♥ Verona, the Italian city where Shakespeare's play lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters every year sent to Juliet on Valentine's Day
♥ One of the most incredible gifts of love is the monument Taj Mahal in India. Built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife it stands as the emblem of the eternal love story. Work on the Taj Mahal began in 1634 and continued for almost 22 years, requiring 20,000 workers from all over India and Central Asia.