Well here we are again, tomorrow is Lupercalia or as it’s referred to in modern times Valentines Day. From time immemorial it was the celebration of fertility, rebirth and Spring. The Catholic Church synchronized this Pagan feast as a Christian Feast naming it after St. Valentine and parts of the celebration have been transmuted into Easter (Today being Ash Wednesday and all). Now like so many other feasts its been usurped by the retail corporate establishment. I personally stay away the normal trappings which have been sold to us. Trappings which seem to equate love with the amount of money you spend on Valentines day: nothing could be further from the truth!

I frankly, like the idea of feast days, it gives us a chance to break from the everyday routine and it makes us stop and think about the meaning of things. In this particualr case I like to think of my relationships with significant people in my life. Many years ago when I was still in my corporate life I remember beating myself up one year when things had not gone as well as others and I was having a difficult time paying for things I would have liked to get for my loved ones.. It was then I actually realized that how much I spent really had little to do with how much I cared and so we started a new holiday tradition where more emphasis was on handmade rather than bought. I actually found this new philosophy far more rewarding than going into a store and spending a lot of money.

By making my gifts I was actually spending more time thinking of my loved ones and what it was that they liked and it became much more satisfying to me and the handmade gifts that I received took on a greater value. I have handmade gifts I received many years ago and when I look at them I remember the occasion, who gave it, the stage of life of that person in our relationship and many, many other things. I have gotten pleasure from these homemeade items far in excess of anything purchased and they still give me pleasure years later. When you stop and think about handmade is hard to beat!