Valentines Day Decorations: Flowers, Hearts, Candy And Valentines Day Gift Baskets

Although trudging through the pink and red aisles of a party store can make people feel that Valentine’s Day is just as an excuse to buy more cheap plastic products, this holiday actually has a rich symbolic history. In fact, most Valentine's Day decorations used today are based on this holiday’s historical symbols. Understanding the meanings behind Valentine's Day decorations make celebrating this holiday much more valuable.

Heart-shaped Valentine's Day decorations are among the most popular. Historically, individuals believed the heart was body’s emotional center where love, the strongest emotion, resided. No one knows for certain how the iconic heart shape developed; some historians believe the hearts found in Valentine's Day decorations originated from primitive drawings of the human organ. Because so little was known about human anatomy, the symbol bears little resemblance to the actual organ. Regardless of how this symbol came to be, hearts today represent love and commitment, making this shape a favorite in candy and Valentine's Day decorations.

Flowers are also typical Valentine's Day decorations. Red roses are particularly common this time of year and are used to signify deep love as well as desire. Red roses have retained these meanings since the 18th century where they were used to communicate between secret lovers. Today, roses can be versatile Valentine's Day decorations because each color demonstrates a different emotion. For example, white roses exemplify purity and virtue whereas pink roses indicate grace and gentility. Although roses are most popular, any flowers can be used as Valentine's Day decorations or gifts.

Traditional gift baskets combine many of the symbols that encompass Valentine's Day decorations. At cookieHQ.com, individuals can find a variety of gift baskets containing heart-shaped candy and cookies for their loved ones. For example, this retailer offers the Custom Sweets Gift Basket for $44.95. These gift baskets feature one large sugar cookie that has a personalized message or photo imprinted onto it. In addition, this package includes six gourmet Belgian chocolate Oreo’s, six Belgian chocolate fortune cookies and one large chocolate-dipped brownie. Because these personalized goodies come in a quality 11-inch Willow basket, they make tempting decorations for the dining room or living room table. Due to its beauty, receivers are sure to be reluctant to dine on these edible Valentine's Day decorations.

The overwhelming amount of products available can make it easy for people to forget the meanings behind Valentine's Day decorations. Whether used as a means of communication or a representation of the human heart, these symbols have deep historical roots that continue to be used to enhance the beauty of a home.


Sources:
Custom Sweets Gift Basket. CookieHQ.com. 2005-2007. 29 Oct. 2007. http://www.cookiehq.com/ProductDetails.asp?Product Code=LF%2DBSKT%2D03&Click=997.

"How Valentine’s Day Works." HowStuffWorks.com. 1998-2007. 4 Nov. 2007. http://people.howstuffworks.com/valentine3.htm.

"Rose Color Meaning." Meaning-of-Roses.com. 2005. 4 Nov. 2007. http://www.meaning-of-roses.com/rose-color-meaning .php.