How did you think outside of the 'big box' for Valentine's Day?

Posted on Feb. 12, 2008 at 4:36 p.m. by Stephenie.

A long time ago, Valentine's day had nothing to do with large stores full of candy, roses, or silly cards. The true history of its celebration is mixed up with fact and rumor...something about a priest named Valentine who (by one legend) supposedly helped young lovers marry during a time in which a mad Emporer believed single men made better soldiers and therefore banned marriage of young men! And way back in ancient Rome, there was a pagan festival of the fertility and purification, Lupercalia, which marked the time of spring and so occurred around the Ides of February......
But today, we don't typically hear about this fascinating history (fact or fiction); all we hear and see are the mounds of stereotypical junk associated with cupids and sweetness. And, so we go to the store, buy flowers, chocolates, candies, whatever else and present them to our loved ones. All the ooos and ahhhs follow and perhaps even a smooch! And that's it. Done. Seems very cookie-cutter and almost sterile to me...
So, how about you? What creative, outside of the box ideas were a great success this Valentine's day for you?

I say out with the standard store-bought card and unidentifiable chocolates... and in with...
Apple Pie! (Homemade and organic, of course :} ) And a history lesson.
Right, that's what I said. Apple Pie. It's his favorite dessert, especially homemade. Upon his arrival home from work the house will be filled with the delicious smell of fresh baked apples...mmmm... much better than the aroma of pesticide-laden flowers! And he loves history, so I am creating a page of links (here's one: http://www.history.com/minisites/valentine/viewPage?pageId=882) for him to search through on the PC to learn about Valentine's day while enjoying his pie.