Valentine's Day Candy... Penny Candy! (Updated for 2018)

The Valentine's Day Ice Cube candies

Valentine's Day candy with a twist:

I remember one of the first Valentine's Days I celebrated with my college boyfriend, way back when I was 19. Anybody remember ice cube candies? I absolutely loved ice cube candies.. I'd always treat myself to 1 or 2 whenever I went into a store which stocked them. They have a smooth softer chocolate center in a slightly harder shell... kind of like a truffle. My mouth waters just thinking about them, and I haven't come across any for a couple of years now.

Well, my boyfriend bought me a whole box of them. 30? 40? 50 or more? I don't know how many were in that box, but I remember storing them close to the window in my dorm room (as refrigerators were not common in dorm rooms back in the 70's) so that they wouldn't melt. I guarded them carefully. I'd eat one or two a day. They lasted forever!

These candies are still around... I found them at two online stores; the Vermont Country Store  and The Old Time Candy Store

Ice Cube candies from the Vermont Country Store

Candy is so appropriate at Valentine's Day.... What a great idea for an unusual Valentine's Day gift: Your lover's favorite "penny" candy! If not those ice cubes that I love, what about candy buttons? Or Mary Jane's? Or bubble gum cigarettes or cigars? You know, the Candy you ate as a kid!

Both the Old Time Candy Company and the Vermont Country Store have great selections of candy you ate as a kid... specials and assortments for penny candies going back to the 50's.

Who Was Saint Valentine anyway? (Updated for 2018)

Many of us may have heard the story of St.Valentine's in Sunday school or even in grade school, but who still remembers the story?

Well, don't worry too much about it.. There's a good chance that the Patron Saint of Lovers never existed anyway.... Or, if he did exist, he had nothing to do with lovers or February 14th.

Valentine depicted in woodcut dating to the 15th century, many centuries after he was to have lived.

The feast of St. Valentine was not established until 496 by that well-known pontiff Pope Gelasius I. (Nope, I'd never heard of him either.) St. Valentine was either a Roman priest, a bishop in Terni (an early Italian city about 100 miles north of Rome), or a martyr somewhere in the Roman African provinces. He was not pictured until 1493 when he appeared in a woodcut in an early book of world history named The Nuremberg Chronicle. The text alongside the woodcut claims he was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius II (AD 268-270).

We don't know what is truth and what is legend.

Whatever the true story, somewhere along the way, the name of Valentine became involved with all of this Love Stuff. We really don't know what is truth and what is legend.

The story is that Emperor Claudius was persecuting Christians in Rome, and that anyone caught helping the Christians or marrying them was considered a criminal. The Christian Valentine was marrying Christians and he was caught. One version of the legend is that Claudius liked Valentine until Valentine tried to convert Claudius at which time Valentine was beheaded.

Another version says that Claudius felt that men made better soldiers if they were unmarried so he forbade any of his soldiers to marry. But Valentine married many soldiers to their sweethearts.. until he was caught. Another part of the legend is that Valentine restored sight to the blind daughter of his jailer while he was awaiting his death... and that, right before he went to his death, he sent her a note signed "From Your Valentine".  Others say that Valentine fell in love with the blind daughter and her sight wasn't restored until he was executed. 

Now, many people think that there wasn't any association between St. Valentine and love and romance until the time of Geoffrey Chaucer, and he really wasn't popularized as the "Patron Saint of Love" until the 17th century when he was mentioned in the popular "Lives of the Saints".

A Romantic Story

So we don't know who Valentine really was, nor do we know if he had anything to do with marriage, love, and those cute notes we call Valentine's Day cards. But it is a nice story, isn't it? The idea of people risking their lives to marry when forbidden to do so.... and the priest who helped them.

Would you risk your life to marry? Or... maybe we should put it like this: WHO would you risk your life to marry?

Valentine's Day Strikes Fear (Updated for 2018)

Valentine's Day strikes fear into the hearts of strong men everywhere.      

Let's just address this head on:

For many people, especially men but women too, there is nothing pleasant about planning Valentine's Day. They don't know what is expected of them; they feel that the wrong thing will be held against them; they feel that they don't have enough money to plan a "proper" Valentine's Day... and they are really tempted to break up with their girlfriend or pick a fight with their wife the week before Valentine's Day just to get out of the whole thing.

Here's a question from a reader:

Q: Hi Jo... It's almost Valentine's Day, and I'm a nervous wreck. I've been with my girlfriend for about six months now, and we are talking about moving in together. We are getting more serious by the day. But I panic around Valentine's Day! My ex-wife always seemed disappointed after Valentine's Day, and we usually fought afterwards. I thought that dinner and flowers was an acceptable way to spend Valentine's Day, but she seemed to want something more or "different"...... How do I guarantee that my new girlfriend will be satisfied without breaking the bank? And what do I do if she seems displeased?  ... Scared

These oxidized Copper Heart Brooches by Rough Magic were found at Etsy a few years back, but they appear to be unavailable now.  

Answer: Have you tried a hot air balloon ride? Or a train ride on the Orient Express? What about 4 carat pink diamond earrings? O.K., I'm joking. Let's be realistic here.


Scared, if she truly likes you for who you are and things are going well.. and she's a decent woman.... there isn't much you can do to screw up Valentine's Day.... except perhaps to forget the whole thing.

It would probably be best to talk to her well before the big day. Does she expect a big production? A dinner and flowers? If so, a fancy dinner? Maybe she dislikes the Valentine's Day dinner scene (as I do) and she's planning on cooking for you. But don't let things fester.. If she's as great as you think and hope she is, she will be happy to talk about her expectations and what might be reasonable. Don't let your experiences with your ex-wife color your experiences with this one. The ex may have been spoiled, demanding, and petty. Perhaps that's why she is an ex?

My sense is that, for most women, flowers, a bit of candy, and perhaps a small gift (according to your budget), are more than enough.

By the way, she should be doing something for you as well.. A small gift, your favorite candy, a home-cooked meal. Valentine's Day shouldn't be a one way street!

For Valentine's Day

Cup of Love at Worth 1000.com

Valentine's Day is only a few weeks away, and our hearts are turning to thoughts of Love Stuff!!     

(Updated for 2018)

Those without "relationships" may think that it would be nice to have a decent, healthy solid relationship... and those in relationships may wonder how to celebrate Valentine's Day in peace and joy... and love ... without acrimony or desperation.

Valentine's Day can bring fear to the heart of strong men everywhere. How many men look forward to Valentine's Day.. and spending a special evening with a loving wife or girlfriend.. and how many are in terror of not doing Valentine's Day "right"?

This year (2018) Valentine's Day is in the middle of the week.  That may relieve some of the pressure, as people are busy with work during the middle of the week and they may not have to focus as much on Valentine's Day.  But perhaps it means cramming more expectations in less time.

Over the next days and weeks, we'll discuss Valentine's Day here at Love Stuff, so follow us so you don't miss anything.

What makes a good Valentine's Day?

What do men do and what do women expect? Yep, a timely topic we talk about here:

Valentine's Day Strikes Fear Among Strong Men Everywhere! If you are one of the many terrorized by the thought of Valentine's Day, please read that entry.

Valentine's Day Candy

Candy and flowers for Valentine's Day.. How traditional! How quaint? How....boring?!

Well... If you think that candy for Valentine's Day is a bit passe, you can take that candy idea and put a twist on it.. the Penny Candy twist!

Follow our blog and you will see what we mean... Candy with a twist...

Cooking for Valentine's Day?

Follow our blog and you will find ideas to make a simple home-cooked meal special for Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day Gifts?

Follow our blog and you will find ideas for special gifts that say "I love you"... from simple and/or handmade gifts that spell "Love" in a very special way, to more traditional gifts.

The History and Lore of Valentine's Day

Why is there a special day for lovers? Did the florists just start to take advantage of a good thing a few years back? We'll explore the legends and lore of Valentine's Day as well.

Update for Valentine's Day 2013:  15 Days of Love