February 2003

Back with Internet Resources for Valentine's Day
by James Chenoweth

Yet another time of year comes around when the Catholic history conveniently gives retail stores an excuse to over-commercialize and overburden you with pressure to purchase gifts. Not to be cynical of Valentine's Day, I happen to enjoy the holiday - a young romantic like myself welcomes the time of year when my cliché' attempts at courting can actually go appreciated.

For our generation, Valentine's Day provides you with an opportunity to bring back that Cary Grant style flair to your mack, providing your mate with a overflow of charm and envious friends. Being this is an Internet E-zine, I will provide you with some helpful hints to use the resources of this world-wide-web we weave to make your Valentine's Day inquiry a good one.

Valentine's Day History: Romance vs. Lust

First, however, before you pull out that credit card, first surf through to learn more about the meaning of February 14th. Many point to some romantic story of a Saint Valentine, but did you know that history has recorded at least three of such men? NewAdvent.org has a Catholic Encyclopedia which will alert you to such facts.  One of my most favorite websites, HistoryChannel.com, concurs and tells the most popular Valentine story of a priest, who continued to perform marriages in the Roman Empire despite a decree against the contrary.

Me2u.com, a resource for romantic gifts, traces Valentine's Day, instead, to a Christian pre-emption of the Roman lust-fest Lupercalia, which took place in mid-February to celebrate the goddess of love. Encyclopedia.com attributes the holiday to the same origin.

Valentine's Day Shopping: Romance was not Built in a Day

So you blew it on Christmas. You missed her birthday. Valentine's Day is now an all-or-nothing event for you. Be not afraid, the following resources will help you discover a treat that's worth getting without depleting too much of your net worth. If you have the cash, however, I recommend a visit the Vermont Teddy Bears. They are all very well made, so that when she's through with you, the bear will still be on her shelf staring at the other boyfriends she brings over forever.

Other great avenues, available through the Internet, include shopping at your favorite airline's website. No, I certainly do not mean purchasing a flight for some romantic getaway (unless your girlfriend happens to be Ivanka Trump), rather, earn frequent flyer miles while you buy flowers, chocolates or other cliché' gifts. The girl cannot complain about flowers - I think that's guaranteed by statute somewhere, and you get extra miles (up to ten miles per dollar in some cases) for looking good.

If your other half is into movies, DVDs can always be a hit. For my money, there is no better resource out there than DVD Price Search, which will search online vendors for the cheapest price for your title. It is the online  price watch for DVDs. Don't think DVD's are a perfect gift for Valentine's Day? Get the DVD of the movie you first watched together. That first or second date. That movie she likes, but you can't stand. All of these assure big smiles when she opens them on the Fourteenth.

Alas, James "Chenopimp" Chenoweth has given up enough secrets for one month. Stay tuned next month, when college students everywhere take on Spring Break and the March Madness tournament.