As Valentine's Day approaches, all the familiar symbols of the holiday begin to appear: cupids with bows and arrows, heart shapes, flowers and love birds. The bleak colors of winter give way to a sudden bloom of white, red, and pink.

Valentine's Day stems from two ancient customs: the pagan festival for the fertility and protection of the flocks and their owners, Lupercalia, and the Christian observance of the martyrdom of Valentine, the third century priest who wed Roman couples against the order of Emperor Claudius II.

Edna Barth explores these and many of the other symbols and legends associated with Valentine's Day in various countries. The connection between romance and the lace often used in greeting cards goes back to the time when a knight rode to battle with his lady's scarf or ribbon as a love token.  The dove was looked on as a messenger of love by some, and considered magical and used to divine the future by others. But no matter what changes have taken place with the passage of time, the essential meaning of the holiday has remained strong—Valentine's Day is a day of love.

Festively illustrated in two-colors by Ursula Arndt, this fascinating and valuable book also includes an annotated reading list of Valentine' stories and an index.

From the dust jacket