Share the love

By Linda Jensen Times Contributor

The onset of the second month of 2020 is a reminder of the love we share in mid-February.
Valentine’s Day began in Rome with the festival of Lupercalia in the ides of February, according to Brittanica.com. Dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, the festival celebrated upcoming spring, fertility rites and a lottery which paired women off with men. Sixteen centuries ago, Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia to St. Valentine’s Day.
Since then, handmade paper cards of the middle ages have become written letters of the pre-19th century, and punch-out cards of the 1970s.
Today, Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love and relationships. Cupid and his arrow are symbolic, as is gift giving. Time, hugs and kisses, candy hearts, chocolates, flowers, perfume or jewelry along with phone calls, social media exchanges, couple’s tattoos, concert tickets, gadgets or romantic dinners are today’s norm.
Gift options are abundant according to several local merchants.
“We (feature) a display of Hallmark items,” said Debbie Reynolds, employee and Hallmark representative at Value Drug Mart. “Stuffed toys, Valentines greeting cards, various (cartoon themed) glassware like vases, go-cups and mugs, plus a Hallmark baby line including photo frames, baby and children’s books, and globes which may or may not be suitable for Valentine’s.”
The store also features a selection of cinnamon hearts, kids card packs, chocolate bars, traditional heart shaped and regular boxes of Valentine’s chocolates, plus Valentine’s gift bags and gift wrap.
At Ink Addicts Tattoo and Piercing, local resident and owner, Jeremy Weber, said “we’ll have a flash sheet with all kinds of flash drawings and art specifically for Valentine’s. There will also be couples two-for-one deals off our Valentine’s day-themed (flash) art. And for the single folks out there, discounted rates apply throughout the month of February.”
Of course, flowers are always a popular gift item at this time of year. And Strathmore’s Florist has some deals.
“Valentine’s flowers pre-ordered by Feb. 8 can enter to win a $100 gift certificate to be drawn on Feb. 15,” said Joline Scobie, Strathmore’s Florist manager.
We love our pets as well, and the month of February is a good time to recognize that. Indeed, Animal Care Centre of Strathmore is featuring dental awareness month in February. Why? Because poor oral hygiene is also linked to heart disease.
“The goal is to raise awareness about dental disease in animals and the importance of providing routine oral care for pets,” said Chelsey Chevrier, a registered veterinary technician and Animal Care Centre of Strathmore medical manager.
So, don’t miss the chance to openly pursue love, friendship or romance on Feb. 14th. Whether you are spending time or money on sappy text messages, candles, dog food, fragrant roses or body art, take advantage of this opportunity for love.