The origins of Valentine’s Day are shrouded in the mists of the past. One legend tells of a Roman priest by the name of Valentinus who lived around 270 AD in the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius. It seems Claudius got an idea that unmarried men made the best soldiers and so he forbid them to marry. Valentinus did not like to see true love being denied like this and so he performed secret marriages for young soldiers and their lovers. Of course, he got caught and imprisoned. It is said that while in prison he fell in love with the young daughter of one of the guards and sent her a love note signed “from your Valentine.” This was the start of the tradition that continues today. It is thought that Valentinus was beheaded for his crime on February 14th, which was a rather gruesome start for the lover’s holiday.

When you are looking for Valentine’s gifts for her, the object is to be as romantic as possible. Flowers, jewelry, and even sexy lingerie could be considered as a romantic gift depending on your relationship with the object of the gift. If you are looking for a sweet gift idea, chocolate is a fairly reliable standby. The major chocolate sellers get quite excited about Valentine’s Day, and special heart shaped boxes are sold in large quantities in February. Hershey chocolate would be a good source for a wide variety of chocolate assortments packaged in a romantic fashion.

Another major chocolate seller, Ghiradelli chocolates is another good choice for a sweet Valentine gift. Among their best sellers are large heart shaped tins with assorted chocolates. The tins are decorated with romantic themes and come in two choices. The first is the Red Classic selection, and the second is the Brown Dark selection.

If you are looking for a different and unique idea for that little girl Valentine in your family, a life saver wreath is an inexpensive, but pleasing idea. To make one you need to get some shoe string licorice and carefully cut a piece about fifteen inches long. Then get a selection of either regular or gummy life savers. You can use assorted colors, or even better select the red ones only. Sting the life savers onto the licorice string and tie the ends together to make your wreath. There are quite a few ideas for a sweet gift, and it is not necessary to spend a lot of money because in the end, it is the love that counts on this day.