Gifts of love

IN four days, you’ll be sending out messages of love on Valentine’s Day, which is said to be the second most celebrated holiday in the world.

How do Filipinos celebrate February 14?

Some other Christian churches have Valentine’s Day as religious feast. It seems that there is more than one Saint Valentine, like of a church which celebrates Valentine’s Day in July.

In the Philippines and among Catholics, it’s a love day on February 14. . If you look again, it’s a good day for sweethearts, married couples, even for children who are taught how to make Valentine’s Day cards by their teachers with which to greet their parents. In terms of celebration the world over, the day is festive next to New Year’s Eve.

I asked friends what they expect and what they get as gifts on Valentine’s Day. Of course, flowers. And candies, chocolates, cookies, jewelry, all these with the love note.

We also asked a gay lover who said she gives the loved one flowers, Mickey Mouse collections, stuff toys. In return, she’d get books for kids.

Another celebrant of the special day said that nothing of the Valentine’s Day gift surprised her through the years, not even after their marriage. But the gifts are expected and she’d miss them if they didn’t come to make the day quietly festive for just the two of them.

“Red, red, red roses!” said a friend when asked about the Valentine’s Day gifts from her man. There were always three stalks of red roses which he’d give in the morning at her waking on February 14. He’d stay home for the day, help her in the household chores, looked after the needs of the children for the day. Remembering her late husband, my friend said softly, “He looked so happy!”

Some women ask what they want for gifts, but the love that shows in the gesture of giving is what always surprises loved ones, adds another friend.

On Thursday this week—-besides shops for the gifts—-restaurants and motels, inns, lodges will have a special sale day the food, the sounds, the low lights best for romantic dining are good commercial items.

If you don’t reserve for a table in the restaurants for that special Valentine’s Day dinner, you could be one of those who park their car in the vicinity and sit there, you and your date waiting for the next vacant table in a favorite, romantic restaurant. It could happen to you.

An owner of a lodge talked about how business is good during Valentine’s Day. At one time, she was out of the motel but kept checking on the day’s trade. Her assistant who was on the job told her on the phone that the waiting line to rooms was long for the two-hour lodging package.

“Then change that 2-hour short term package to 1-hour so we can accommodate all of them!” she directed her assistant manager.

One of the stories behind the celebratory day is that about a priest near Rome hundreds of years ago who gave his ministry to meet the needs of the early Christians in those days of Roman persecution. One of those sacraments he shared with those who sought it was the sacrament of marriage which the Roman Empire banned for young men. The belief of leaders in the Roman Empire was that men who were already married didn’t make good soldiers because they were bothered about their families and lacked a fixed attention on their job. Thus, there was a legal age for marriage.

Caught marrying a couple under the prohibition, Valentine was imprisoned, later beaten, stoned, and beheaded. That was years ago.

Today, the saint is thanked for his heroism and religious ardor with a celebration in more than gifts of red roses.

Feb. 14 is about love and good business.

(ecuizon@gmail.com)