First a little history about Valentine’s Day.  I Looked this up on the Internet at theholidayspot.com.

“According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage.

This was around when the heyday of Roman Empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asia increased their pressure on the empire's boundaries. The empire had grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage. Valentine, a bishop, seeing the trauma of young lovers, met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. The emperor, impressed with the young priest's dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully. On February 24, 270, Valentine was executed.

"From your Valentine" While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. The jailor had a blind daughter. Asterius requested him to heal his daughter. Through his faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius' daughter. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after.

Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St. Valentine's name.

The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest cards was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum."

When I was a lad and in grade school, St. Valentine's Day was an occasion of giving cards to others of the opposite sex. Everyone had to bring a Valentine card to school. School teachers wrote down the names of the boys and put them in one box and the names of the girls in another. Then everyone drew a name and gave their card to that kid. Oh so romantic, eh?

When I was old enough to actually like girls, the card was no longer enough. Then it became chocolates. This wasn't a bad idea provided I was on hand when the box was opened, and was offered the opportunity to gobble a few.

The Saint was dropped from the name in order to be politically correct.

After I was married, in addition to a card, I was also expected to provide chocolates and flowers. What a deal! I give the good stuff and get a card in return.

Something happened between then and now. That something is people who make and sell things. If we believe the commercials on radio and television, a man is now expected to provide a Valentine's Day Gift. The gift can be something as meager as a 2-carat diamond ring or as mediocre as a Jaguar sedan, and perhaps he must take her out for dinner as well. In return, presumably, the gent still gets a card.

A man ain't got a chance these days. He's supposed to pony up with presents for Christmas, her birthday, their anniversary, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, the Ides of March and St. Swithin's Day. When it's his birthday, if he’s lucky, he gets a three-pack of new drawers.