VALENTINE GIFTS ON LONG ISLAND, NY

VALENTINE CARDS


	Hallmark We've got Valentine's Day cards for him, her, and all of those other special people in your life. We also carry a large number of collectibles in our Hallmark Gold Crown line. Internet:...........................................................................................................www.hallmark.com
	Hallmark - LeMarc's Shop - Bay Shore Each of our special card and gift collections expresses a distinct point of view and helps you express your own identity and style. 1701 Sunrise Hwy., Bay Shore (Islip) (South Shore Mall)............................. Tel: 631-665-6360 Internet:.......................................................................................................... www.hallmark.com Map
	Hallmark - LeMarc's Shop - Garden City We've got Valentine's Day cards for him, her, and all of those other special people in your life. We also carry a large number of collectibles in our Hallmark Gold Crown line. 630 Roosevelt Field Mall Old Country Rd, Garden City (Hmpstd)...................Tel: 516-747-5530 Internet:...........................................................................................................www.hallmark.com Mo-Sa 10-9:30, Su 11-7; Map	Top
	Hallmark - LeMarc's Shop - Huntington Station We've got Valentine's Day cards for him, her, and all of those other special people in your life. We also carry a large number of collectibles in our Hallmark Gold Crown line. 160 Walt Whitman Mall Rt 110, Huntington Station (Hunt)..............................Tel: 631-421-0650 Internet:...........................................................................................................www.hallmark.com Huntington RR; Map
	Hallmark - Molly's Shop - Massapequa Each of our special card and gift collections expresses a distinct point of view and helps you express your own identity and style. 340 Sunrise Mall, Massapequa (OysBy).........................................................Tel: 516-795-3050 Internet:...........................................................................................................www.hallmark.com Map

FLOWERS

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	1-800-Flowers - Selden 285 Middle Country Rd., Selden (Brkhvn).................................................... Tel: 631-451-1350 Map

CHOCOLATE AND CANDIES

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	Godiva Chocolatier "Truly fine chocolates have several characteristics in common: they are always fresh, contain high quality ingredients like premium cocoa beans and dairy butter, are usually less sweet and feature unusual textures and natural flavors. " 630 Roosevelt Field Mall Old Country Rd, Garden City (Hmpstd)...................Tel: 516-741-0260 Internet:..............................................................................................................www.godiva.com Map Smith Haven Mall Rt 347, Lake Grove (Brkhvn).............................................. Tel: 631-265-2900
	Lindt Chocolate Lindor truffles or decadent Lindt boxed chocolates are the best gifts for holidays Toll-Free:................................1-877-695-4638; E-mail:.......... lindt@qualitycustomercare.com Internet:..................................................................................................................www.lindt.com Mall at the Source Old Country Rd, Westbury (NoHmpstd).............................Tel: 516-228-4229 Smith Haven Mall Rt 347, Lake Grove (Brkhvn).............................................. Tel: 631-979-7858	Top

History of St. Valentine�s Day

Everyone knows that February 14 is Valentine's Day. Also that on this special day, gifts of candy, flowers, jewelry, cards and other tokens of love and affection are exchanged. But did you know that Valentine�s Day originated in 5th Century Rome as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop who gave his life for love? Read on after the listings for more Valentine�s Day lore. Before the advent of St. Valentine�s Day, the Romans had practiced a pagan celebration in mid-February commemorating young men's rite of passage to the god Lupercus. The celebration featured a lottery in which young men would draw the names of teenage girls from a box. The girl assigned to each young man in that manner would be his sexual companion during the remaining year. In an effort to do away with the pagan festival, Pope Gelasius ordered a slight change in the lottery. Instead of the names of young women, the box would contain the names of saints. Both men and women were allowed to draw from the box, and the game was to emulate the ways of the saint they drew during the rest of the year. As you can imagine, young Roman men were not too pleased with these changes.

Instead of the pagan god Lupercus, the Church looked for a suitable patron saint of love to take his place. They found an appropriate choice in Valentine, who, in AD 270 had been beheaded by Emperor Claudius.

Claudius had determined that married men made poor soldiers. So he banned marriage from his empire. But Valentine would secretly marry young men that came to him. When Claudius found out about Valentine, he first tried to convert him to paganism. But Valentine reversed the strategy, trying instead to convert Claudius. When he failed, he was stoned and beheaded. While Valentine was imprisoned, he fell in love with his jailer�s blind daughter. During this time, her blindness was cured, presumably due to Valentine�s great love for her. Before he was executed, he sent a farewell message to her, signed "From your Valentine." The phrase has been used on his day ever since.

In time, the lottery was dispensed with, replaced by young swains sending tokens of love to their intended in the name of St. Valentine. The first Valentine card www.hallmark.com was derived from this tradition. The first true Valentine card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time. Cupid, another holiday symbol, became associated with Valentine�s Day because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid, his bow, arrow and quiver, often appear on Valentine cards.

Today, many elementary school children bring in Valentine cards for everyone in their class. And couples young and old celebrate this holiday with gifts of fine chocolates sent in red, heart-shaped boxes, flowers, jewelry and dinner reservations at fine restaurants. And, in case you were wondering, Red, the color of passion and one�s heart, became part of the holiday during Victorian times.