Valentine’s Day… A commercial holiday that is the hay day for card, chocolate, flower, fragrance, and lingerie companies every where. But what is Valentine’s Day, really?

This holiday started as a pagan celebration of sexuality and fertility. Early festivities were less romantic and more physical (if you catch my drift). Thanks to some careful branding by the early Catholic church, attention was switched from worshiping a pagan god to celebrating the life of Valentine, a medieval priest that was beheaded by the barbarian turned Roman emperor Claudius II. Claudius II had Valentine beheaded because he was providing wedding ceremonies outside the constraints (and taxes) of an overbearing Roman government.

Today, Valentine’s Day is a designated day of commercial romance. We all know the drill… I don’t normally “celebrate” Valentine’s Day, since I think it is a little hoaky and silly. This year, I’m making an exception because I needed an excuse to shower someone with a little special attention.

The Creative Girl is my valentine, and I’m taking her to dinner and the movie of her choice (“He’s Just Not That Into You”) this evening. We’ve had a pretty full week, so it will be very nice to have a few hours dedicated to each other. In return, she’s taking me to the UT/Vandy basketball game tomorrow afternoon. I’m still not sure Valentine’s Day is going to make my list on an annual basis… but this one is looking pretty good– dinner, movies, and a basketball game. This is shaping up to be a good weekend, so I may even drop my usual sarcasm for this holiday. Maybe.