HAPPY
Valentine’s
6 Valentine’s Day traditions METRO CREATIVE SERVICES
Valentine’s Day is a day of love nestled in the middle of February. Sweethearts use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to show the people they care about just how deep those feelings run. A 2023 survey from the National Retail Federation found consumers expected to spend $25.9 billion on Valentine’s Day, up from $23.9 billion in 2022. Forecasters suspect spending is likely to increase this year as well. Valentine’s Day is awash in many different customs. Here’s a deep look at some of those enduring traditions and others that some may feel should be brought back into favor or adopted entirely.
for the holiday. History.com reports that, in the nineteenth century, bouquets might contain all sorts of flowers, each chosen to convey certain messages. Individuals can research the meanings behind certain flowers and put together a Valentine’s Day gift this year that expresses exactly what they are feeling.
Puzzle purses
Sweethearts in Victorian England created “puzzle purses,” which were a series of love letters that could be read separately, but also fit together to create a design and message. These intricately folded sheets of paper had parts of messages or verses written on different corners and were meant to be read in a specific order.
Heart-shaped chocolate boxes
British chocolatier Richard Cadbury is credited with creating the first heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day. The boxes were intended to be so beautiful they would be kept to hold trinkets or love letters. Ornate chocolate boxes are not quite as common today, although the gifting of chocolate for the holiday is still strong.
Handwritten cards
It’s a common scene each year in card retailers and pharmacies: people three-deep in the aisle trying to pick out Valentine’s Day cards in the eleventh hour. People can save themselves the hassle of fighting the crowds if they make their own handmade cards. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, sweethearts created unique cards from scratch, according to Country Living. And prior to products produced by Hallmark and other greeting card companies, people used to send one another cards customized with personalized messages.
DAY
Celebrating in June? METRO CREATIVE SERVICES
Valentine’s Day is awash in many different customs.
Pampering gentlemen
It is common in North America for Valentine’s Day celebrations to lean significantly toward favoring women, who are often on the receiving end of flowers and chocolates. However, in South Korea and Ja-
pan, it is the men who are pampered with such gifts. Women purchase chocolates for their male partners, family members and coworkers as tokens of appreciation and affection. Never fear, a month later on White Day (March 14) men reciprocate with
candy, cake and flowers.
Bouquets
These days a dozen long-stemmed red roses might be the norm for Valentine’s Day gifting. However, roses weren’t always the preferred flower
Many Brazilians skip Valentine’s Day in February and choose to celebrate Saint Anthony, the patron saint of marriage and matchmaking, on June 12. Celebrating both is fine for those who prefer to shower affection on loved ones multiple times a year. Valentine’s Day traditions are still strong and can add a little something extra to celebrations this February.
Some tips to help make your Valentine’s Day roses last longer METRO CREATIVE SERVICES
Valentine’s Day spending shows little sign of waning. Floral arrangements are among the most popular purchases on this special day. According to Rio Roses, customers spent $2.3 billion on flowers for Valentine’s Day in 2022. Valentine’s Day tends to be the busiest day for florists as plenty of people want to surprise sweethearts with bouquets and other floral arrangements. Red roses account for 70 percent of all Valentine’s Day flower purchases. Early in 2023, Finance Buzz researched the average cost of a dozen roses in each state so shoppers could expect what they would pay to gift their loved ones, and the average price for a dozen roses in the United States was $80.16 at that time. Pennsylvania had the most affordable roses and Hawaii the most expensive. Roses can be costly, and recipients may want to do their bests to ensure the flowers last as long as possible. Unwrap the bouquet from any plastic as soon as possible to let the flowers breathe. Also, recut the stems with sharp scissors at a 45-degree angle. Remove any leaves from the stems that would end up sitting in the water when the roses are placed in a vase. Wash the vessel to rid it of dirt, dust and any grime to give the roses the best start possible. Use lukewarm water to fill the vase. Water that is too hot or too cold may shock the blooms and shorten their life span. Fill the vase to three-quarters full. Use the flower food that comes with the roses. It is a good mix of nutrients to help prolong the life of the roses. A teaspoon of sugar dissolved in water also can be used in a pinch if the roses didn’t come
METRO CREATIVE SERVICES
According to Wine Folly, when pairing wine with dessert or other foods, the secret is to think of wine as an ingredient that will add a new flavor profile.
A look at wine and dessert pairings
tensity to the dessert. Love is in the air come Feb The wine should be ruary, when plenty of sweet- sweeter than the food in most hearts enjoy romantic evenings cases. The flavors in the wine together. When the Valentine’s Day meal is through, it is prime should match the flavors in the time for something sweet. Of- food. Chocolate and caramel are ten individuals feel they have to put away the best paired with a wine from dinner Keep in mind sweet or fruity red and switch over to wine, as dry wines that very coffee or tea at this may taste too bitter point in the meal. sweet desserts against chocolate However, with a or those with due to the tannins little knowledge found in both the of how to pair fruits, like wine and chocolate. Port, Sherry, wine with dessert, cobblers or Marsala, and ZinValentine’s revelfandel are good ers can continue shortcakes, the celebration may benefit options. through this final Mild, buttery from a burst or sweet vanilla course. According to of acidity. desserts work best Wine Folly, when with white wines, pairing wine with dessert or including sparkling wines. other foods, the secret is to Muscat, off-dry Rieslings, and think of wine as an ingredient Prosecco are some ideas. Keep in mind that very that will add a new flavor profile. Generally speaking, when sweet desserts or those with it comes to choosing the best fruits, like cobblers or shortwines for desserts, a sweet wine cakes, may benefit from a burst is preferable as the sweetness in of acidity. A drier Riesling may the wine will match the sugar in work or a Vouvray Brut. the dessert, suggests the wine Those who may be unsure resource Vin Yang. Here are of how to pair their desserts some additional pairing point- with wine can always speak ers. with a wine retailer or a trusted A darker dessert usually restaurant sommelier for sugrequires a darker wine, as the gestions on wines for an exwine should have a similar in- tra-special Valentine’s Day. METRO CREATIVE SERVICES
METRO CREATIVE SERVICES
Roses can be costly, and recipients may want to do their bests to ensure the flowers last as long as possible. with flower food. Change the water every few days, especially if it is cloudy. This is a good time to re-snip the stems and add
more flower food to the lukewarm water. Keep any cut flowers away from direct sunlight, drafts and radiators or heat-
ing vents. With proper care, cut roses may be able to last seven to 10 days , says Southern Living magazine.