Valentine's Day

From The Voice (U.K.), a discussion of aphrodisiacs and love potions and how they work (or don't work, as the case may be).

N.S. Gill examines the historical roots of Valentine's Day in ancient mythology and folklore.

19th Century History Guide Robert McNamara traces the history and traditions of St. Valentine's Day from its Medieval roots through the late 1800s.

"Valentine greetings have been popular since the Middle Ages, a time when prospective lovers said or sang their romantic verses. Written valentines began to appear after 1400. Paper valentines originated in the 1500s, being exchanged in Europe and being given in place of valentine gifts and oral or musical valentine greetings. They were particularly popular in England."

An estimated one billion Valentine cards are sent each year, according to this multi-page feature from the History Channel.

Though the precise origins of Valentine's Day are obscured by the mists of time, Atheism Guide Austin Cline argues that its pagan connections are stronger than its Christian ones.

Is it true that men think about sex every 7 seconds? What about the rumor that NASA conducted secret sex experiments in outer space? Test your urban legends IQ!

"The traditional day on which lovers in certain cultures let each other know about their love, commonly by sending Valentine's cards, which are often anonymous," according to Wikipedia.

A history, a story, and many interesting traditions of Saint Valentine's Day well presented here.

A beautiful collection of British Valentine's Day cards from the Victorian period.

From the Catholic Encyclopedia, a brief discussion of three possible candidates for the historical figure after whom the holiday was named.