Valentine’s Day. Why and How Do We Celebrate It?


sewn heart Valentine's Day

We do this every February 14th, but have you ever wondered what is Valentine’s Day, why and how do we celebrate it?

A bit of research shows that the world celebrates Valentine’s Day – the winter holiday of love – as a religious reminder of St Valentine, a Roman priest who married couples against Emperor Claudius’ order.

Claudius was involved in endless wars with the enemies of the largest ancient empire and needed soldiers. In his vision, a soldier who had a wife and family was unreliable. So he declared marriage illegal.

Valentine, a young priest in Umbria (Umbri, in Roman times), cared more about young love than he cared about an emperor’s orders and kept marrying couples secretly. In the end, he was discovered, incarcerated and later decapitated.

While in prison, Valentine fell in love with the guard’s daughter, whom he cured of blindness. Before Valentine was executed, the young priest sent his lover a note with the message “Tua Valentini“. Perhaps this is why we are still sending cards that spread the message of love two thousand years later: “Be my Valentine!

Because Valentine was executed on the 14th of February, this remained the day we celebrate him as a saint and February as the month of love. Not that the rest of the year should be loveless!

If you think about it, love has the power to heal and move mountains, as we say. There must be a reason for saying it!

adult holding baby's hand love

How Do We Celebrate It?

Now that we know what is Valentine’s Day why and how do we celebrate it, let’s look at ways to do just that.

We should celebrate in any way possible, that shows our feelings towards those we love! And what better way to express emotions than through the food we make for our loved ones?

With the help of a few wonderful fellow food bloggers, I have put together various ideas to inspire your cooking and baking for this special occasion and any other time.

We are going through exceptional hardship, but love shall always remain our guiding light!

May we always have love in our lives!

Valentine’s Day Breakfasts

Heart-Shaped Oatmeal Pancakes

hear-shaped oatmeal pancakes
Recipe provided by theworldisanoyster.com

Healthy oatmeal pancakes are an excellent substitute for getting out of your porridge routine, even more, when the occasion is special. So why not spoil your sweetheart on a Valentine’s Day morning with some heart-shaped pancakes and a steamy cappuccino?

100% Kona Coffee

Strawberry Shortcake Waffles with Nutella

strawberry shortcake waffles with nutella
Recipe provided by maplewoodroad.com

On Valentine’s Day, every meal should be different, starting with breakfast. This is why I created a recipe for these Strawberry Shortcake Waffles, the most scrumptious waffles you’ve ever tasted! And they’re not just for breakfast, but are perfect for dessert too!

Valentine’s Day Snack

Ultimate Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

chocolate-dipped strawberries Valentine's snack
Recipe provided by theworldisanoyster.com

Nothing screams Valentine’s more than indulgent, rich chocolate-dipped strawberries! Easy to make, delectable, and some say highly aphrodisiac, your favourite fruit dipped in voluptuous chocolate is the ultimate Valentine’s treat to enjoy with a glass of bubbly!

Raisin and Pecan Cheeseball 

Recipe provided by conflictedvegan.com

A cheeseball is perfect for a rich snack. The best thing about it is that any topping goes! This Raisin and Pecan Cheeseball is ideal for any special occasion, Valentine’s being just one of them, but a movie night works too.

Valentine’s Day Sides

Date Night Bread Recipes to Make With Your Sweetie

chocolate bread valentine's sides
Recipe provided by breadbakes.com

Valentine’s Day is a great time to learn something new with those you love. How about trying one of these four date night bread recipes to make with your sweetie? These are fun and easy recipes, so you can choose one that’s right for you and that special someone, sweetie, friend, kids, or just by yourself to learn something new!

Valentine’s Day Dinners

Spaghetti With Clams

spaghetti with clams a special Valentine's day aphrodisiac recipe
Recipe provided by theworldisanoyster.com

Release the well-known aphrodisiac power of seashells in this easy to make Spaghetti With Clams recipe that will make your dinner special! Date night, a memorable Valentine’s Day meal or even a regular easy dinner would become notable when you add the magic touch of Italian cuisine!

Vodka Sauce for Valentine’s Day

vodka pasta plate for a romantic Valentine's dinner
Recipe provided by coffeecraftschaos.com

When almost the entire family in La Casa de Chaos celebrates their birthday in the first couple of weeks in February, it is easy to ignore Valentine’s Day. We usually skip it. But not this year!

Baked Pineapple Salmon

baked salmon for a romantic valentine's day dinner
Recipe provided by sulaandspice.com

Time for another salmon recipe. In our house, we default to lemon as the typical accompaniment for our salmon. But I was in a “mood,” wanting to play outside the lines. So, my mind lighted on . . . pineapple? With salmon?

Date Night Cheese Fondue

cheese fondue valentine's date night
Recipe provided by abundanceofflavor.com

If you’re looking for an elegant dining experience from the comfort of your home, look no further than Date Night Cheese Fondue. Making fondue is an unforgettable dining experience that should be shared with loved ones and feels elaborate. Serve it up for your next special occasion, holiday, or when you’re looking to jazz up your routine.

Valentine’s Day Desserts

Pear and Almond Chocolate Cake

pear and almond chocolate cake perfect for Valentine's day
Recipe provided by theworldisanoyster.com

This Italian delight is guaranteed to make any love declaration an impressive visual and extraordinarily tasting success! Not to mention the aphrodisiac effect of chocolate that activates all the right chemicals in our brains to get us in the mood for love!

Boozy Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Cake

boozy chocolate-dipped strawberry cake Valentine's Day why and how do we celebrate it
Recipe provided by theworldisanoyster.com

The easiest way to transform a classic chocolate cake into a perfectly indulgent delight is by topping it with chocolate-dipped strawberries. Add a dash of alcohol to the chocolate and the explosion of tastes will surely impress anyone you present with this Valentine’s special!

Easy Valentine’s Day Ruffle Heart Cookies – Only 1 Tip Size!

Valentine's Day Ruffle Heart Cookies
Recipe provided by buttercreamparties.com

You really can’t go wrong with sugar cookies on Valentine’s Day! In this tutorial, I will be showing you how to decorate these Valentine’s Day ruffle heart cookies to share with your loved ones. The sugar cookies are quick and easy to make but look fancy and adorable. 

Boozy Tiramisù

Valentine's Day why and how do we celebrate it with tiramisu
Recipe provided by theworldisanoyster.com

A classic Italian dessert can go a long way, especially on a romantic occasion and especially when you add a drop (or more!) of alcohol to the mascarpone cream. See for yourself!

Strawberry Cheesecake Truffles

strawberry cheesecake truffles
Recipe provided by coffeefitkitchen.com

These truffles make the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day! They have a romantic combination of chocolate and strawberry, and the cheesecake flavour takes it to another level. Your significant other won’t be disappointed with a treat like this!

Molten Lava Cakes for Two

Molten Lava Cake For Two
Recipe provided by homesweettable.com

Molten Lava Cakes are a rich and decadent dessert, a chocolate lover’s dream: individual chocolate cakes with oozing molten centres. These cakes are the perfect date night in, anniversary, special occasion, or Valentine’s dessert! 

Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe

chocolate mousse cake
Recipe provided by globalbakes.com

This Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe takes some time to put together, but the steps are simple, and the payoff is enormous! With a base layer of chocolate cake, a layer of chocolate mousse, a layer of white chocolate mousse, then covered in chocolate ganache and mini chocolate chips, this is a chocolate lovers dream!

Meringue Hearts With Raspberry Sauce

meringue hearts with raspberry sauce
Recipe provided by sulaandspice.com

The tartness of the raspberry sauce is the perfect complement to the sweet meringue shell. And the scoop of sherbet takes it right over the top. For this Valentine’s Day version, I was inspired by a recipe I found at Taste of Home to use raspberry sauce.

Flourless Chocolate Cakes With Toasted Marshmallow

flourless chocolate cakes with toasted marshmallow a sinful valentine's day delight
Recipe provided by momthelunchlady.ca

These decadent cakes are naturally gluten-free and absolutely gorgeous! The perfect dessert for a date night, birthday or Valentine’s Day. They are rich, tender and creamy. Some of the feedback I received was: sensual, sinful, and I think the words’ food p.rn’ were also thrown in there!

Sweet and Soft Vegan Red Velvet Mini Cupcakes

sweet and soft vegan red velvet mini cup cakes
Recipe provided by therunningbaker24.com

If you are looking for a sweet treat this coming Valentine’s, why not try these vegan red velvet mini cupcakes? Red symbolizes love, happiness and prosperity, and it’s nice to share these wholesome sweet mini cupcakes with your loved ones, friends and colleagues.

Red Wine Poached Pears

Recipe provided by lemonspoonful.com

As the day progresses, maybe it is not a bad idea to move onto the boozy side of treats! Red Wine Poached Pears is an easy, two-person dessert that combines red wine, honey and walnuts baked with luscious pears.

Valentine’s Day Cocktails

Would it not be nice to have some cocktails on your table on a special evening? Something that goes perfectly well with any of these astonishing recipes? Here are a few ideas to inspire you and help create a magical evening!

Magical Cocktails

cafe con leche martini glasses  and chocolate Valentine's Day cocktail
Fabulous recipes on Marta’s blog senseandedibility.com

This title link will take you to the Drinks section on Marta Riveras’s website. Although her beautiful Café con Leche Martini stood up for me (we both seem to share a coffee addiction!), she created so many other incredible cocktails that it would be a shame to mention just one! There are plenty of cocktail recipes on this site to inspire you to create unforgettable, magical moments on a special night!

Pomegranate Mint Prosecco Cocktail

pomegranate mint prosecco valentine's day cocktail
Recipe provided by homesweettable.com

Pomegranate Mint Prosecco Cocktail is made with prosecco, simple mint syrup, and pomegranate juice. It’s refreshing and makes a perfect holiday or anytime cocktail. This drink can easily be made alcohol-free. Just replace the prosecco with sparkling water, and you have a tasty mocktail!

Strawberry Elderflower Liqueur Cocktail

strawberry elderflower cocktail
Recipe provided by emilyfabulous.com

This Strawberry Elderflower Liqueur Cocktail is perfect for Valentine’s Day with its bright and vibrant colour and beautiful combination of flavours. Gin, elderflower liqueur, strawberries, and lime come together for the perfect drink for your sweetheart.

Limoncello, Arancello Rosso, and Pompelmocello

limoncello cocktails Valentine's Day why and how do we celebrate it
Recipe provided by maplewoodroad.com

These are three drinks that will take your heart & taste buds on a trip to romantic Italy! If you’ve never tried Limoncello, I must insist that you do so as soon as possible. It is a heavenly blend of sweet-tart deliciousness, with a bright yellow translucent appearance and a thick, almost syrupy texture as a result of being kept in the freezer at all times.

Extra Special: Valentine’s Day General Activities

paper hearts hanged on washing line activities for Valentine's day

As I mentioned earlier, love might go through the stomach, but definitely does not end there! For more inspiration to fill the entire month of February and especially Valentine’s Day with lovely and diverse activities, have a look at this beautiful Valentine’s Day Round-up article by Sarah Cox.

Let’s Not Forget Galentine’s Day!

In recent times, we have started to celebrate the special lady friends in our lives the day before Valentine’s, on February 13th. In a month filled with love, there is not enough celebration to show everyone we love how grateful we are that they are part of our lives!

What better way to do that than adding a lovely present to your excellent cooking? One of my favourite posts is Mimmie’s Galentine Gift Ideas, a wonderful collection of presents I would love to receive and offer, too! Please have a look at her beautiful website for more Valentine’s gift ideas to inspire your perfect day!

It must be clearer now how it is important to know what is Valentine’s Day and why and how we celebrate it. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Have a lot of love in your life!

Valentine’s Day. Why and How Do We Celebrate It?


The World Is An Oyster

Working as a journalist during university was pretty exciting. But landing a cruise ship job barely a year in my new graduate career was something else! Overnight, I moved from an already exhilarating job to an even better one. One that would allow me to wake up every morning in a different country. What more can a twenty-something wish for? The fact that I was fluent in a few languages helped. It made it easier to obtain the position I was seeking at the Shore Excursions department. Apart from dispatching tours in the morning and selling tickets in the evening, I would spend nearly every day on different trips. I did this a few years, spending half a year onboard and about two months at home. I enjoyed it immensely. I met fascinating people from all over the Globe and collected memories to last me a lifetime. Not to mention that I received a salary for seeing all those magnificent places the Earth has to offer! In an ideal world, everybody should live as they want. For me, that would translate into travel, then travel some more and keep travelling!

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88 Responses

  1. ilse says:

    Lovely overview of easy recipes.

  2. Daniel Ng says:

    Happy Valentine’s Day! The Ultimate Chocolate Dipped Strawberries is a must have. In Indonesian language, Tua means old/ancient. ‘Tua Valentini’ perhaps can be The Classic Valentine.

  3. Jill says:

    What a great list of recipes! Everything looks so good, I want to try them all right now!!

  4. Elizabeth says:

    Fantastic recipes! Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

  5. Gloria says:

    What a great post. We usually keep it a quiet celebration. I will try some of these tasty recipes.

  6. Lucy says:

    What a fantastic selection of meals and treats for Valentine’s Day. There’s something for everyone here. Thank you for sharing them all.

  7. Toni says:

    I really love these ideas!! Thank you so much for sharing!

  8. Betty says:

    I like the Valentine’s Day desserts.

  9. Marcellina says:

    I loved reading all about Valentine’s Day and the yummy food to celebrate! Galantine’s Day is new to me! What a great idea to celebrate the wonderful friendships in our lives. What a joyous post!

  10. Julia says:

    This is such an informative post and love all the recipes you shared so we can prepare for Valentine’s!

  11. Natalie says:

    I love your yummy Valentine’s Day ideas. I will bake some of the treats for sure.

  12. I remember when I first learned about St Valentine and it such an interesting story and how in America we celebrate it here. I personally enjoy celebrating Valentines day.

  13. Linda says:

    I never knew all that! You’re roundups are always amazing. I’ve found a few that I need to make for and with my guys next month!

  14. Christine says:

    I love this list of v-day foods to make! My boyfriend and I have a sushi making tradition for v-day but I always like to make a dessert with it too, the boozy tiramisu is calling my name!

  15. Great food ideas. Valentine’s Day for us isn’t about gifts. It’s a nice evening/weekend together. Do your ideas are very helpful. I knew there was a tragic story behind Valentine’s Day but I never knew what it was.

  16. Hadassah says:

    I love your ideas and recipes for Valentine’s Day! Such a good choice of delicious food. My favorite would be the red wine poached pears and the cheese fondue. Thanks a lot for sharing!

  17. Jerika says:

    Awesome selection of food recipes! Just perfect for Valentines Day.:) Love it & advance happy valentines!:) Will try your recipes, thanks!:)

  18. Sarah says:

    So many delicious-looking ideas for Valentine’s Day. While we don’t tend to do much on that day, I think I might have to make one of two of these recipes, as they all look fantastic. Thank you for the ideas.

  19. Gloria says:

    With all the craziness we have in this world, having something to celebrate is nice. We have never been big Valentine’s Day fans. We always do something at home, and I like to bake cookies for the grandkids.

  20. Grace This Place says:

    Such a good read! We always do “I love you letters” to our kids in little personalized mailboxes. I’m itching to get it all out!

  21. Cheri says:

    Hi! You know, it never occurred to me to ask where the Valentine’s Day tradition came from. And, the answer is very interesting! Also, the food you recommended is outstanding. So glad to see that my absolute favorite chocolate dipped strawberries are on the menu. Thanks so much for sharing this post!

  22. You are right, we should celebrate Valentine’s all year long and you sure give us so many wonderful recipes to play with. Thank you for putting it all together, I just do not know where to start… dessert…. yes, I will start with all those delightful desserts

  23. Daniel Ng says:

    We love to boost our mental and emotional health these days. Happy Valentine’s Day in advance to you.

  24. Laurence says:

    Some really great ideas here! Always good to do something special for valentines day

  25. Lisa says:

    Love the way you call your house La Casa de Chaos! I agree that every meal should have a special touch on Valentine’s Day. Thanks for all of the ideas!

  26. This post was enlightening! Thank you for sharing the history with us.

  27. Sarah says:

    Great post! I think I need to celebrate multiple nights so I can try all the recipes. Especially all the desserts!

  28. Valentine’s Day isn’t super important to me, but I do like to spend it with my hubby nonetheless!

  29. The clams and ziti looks AMAZING! I love all of these recipes. Thanks for sharing!

  30. Mimmie says:

    Love the desserts! 🙂

  31. Christine says:

    I love this. It is great to combine the history and the fabulous food to celebrate. They all look so yummy!

  32. Yoanna says:

    I didn’t know the backstory of Valentine’s Day! And all of these meals look amazing 🤩

  33. With another Valentine’s Day in lockdown, the deserts are what I am most look forward to.

  34. Gabriela Herrera says:

    Thank you for explaining the Valentine’s Day tradtition and most importantly for bring us all these wonderful food ideas.

  35. Colette says:

    I didn’t know that that was the reason we celebrate Valentine’s Day! It is so brave and romantic. Thank you so much for sharing it. I love learning histories. And thanks for the great recipes ❤️

  36. Joanna says:

    I had no idea about this history! So cool to know. Especially since February 14 is also my birthday.

    I love all the deserts and cocktails. Great post!

  37. Such an amazing post. The vegan red velvet mini cupcakes look delicious! I’ll definitely try them. Thank you for sharing!

  38. Adriana says:

    So many good ideas, but I would go for the cheese fondue, and the strawberry elderflower cocktail looks so good. Happy Valentine’s day!

  39. Taylor says:

    Great post! I especially loved the cocktail section! I’m about to IMPRESS on Valentines with these recipes! Thanks, friend 🙂 <3

  40. I love the history behind Valentine’s Day! Thank you for putting a list of amazing recipes together, and ways to celebrate. 🥰

  41. Kimberlie says:

    What a delicious roundup. I cannot wait to try all these Valentine’s Day meals. Thank you for organizing them.

  42. taffy says:

    Thank you for writing about the history of Valentines day. I hardly knew anything but just celebrated it. Thanks for sharing those great recipes too, will try one or two of them for my hubby on Valentine’s day this year.

  43. Jennifer | KITJEN says:

    What a wonderful collection of recipes for Valentine’s Day! The story behind the holiday is so interesting and well written. Thank you for this wonderful post.

  44. Shala says:

    I love Val’s Day! It’s my favorite holiday because I love to celebrate love in all forms (with treats!)

    curatingstories.com

  45. Such an amazing collection of Valentine’s food! It’s great that you included everything from breakfast to desserts. I always love hearing the history behind holidays and traditions. Thanks for including my molten lava cakes and drink recipe!

  46. Emily Flint says:

    I love this list and I actually learned something new! Thanks for sharing the story and all of these amazing recipes! Happy Valentine’s Day!

  47. This is such a great Valentine’s Day round up. I remember googling how Valentine’s day came about, but have forgotten over the years; so I appreciate the history behind it! Everything looks so delicious and thank you for including my Flourless Chocolate Cakes xo

  48. Leah says:

    This is an AMAZING roundup! I feel so honored to be included, thank you so much! ♥️ I always love how you include some history into your posts. I haven’t heard this story, always learning something new from you. Have a Happy Valentine’s Day! 💕 -Leah at buttercreamparties.com

  49. Thank you for putting together this great list!

  50. Holly says:

    Great history of Valentine’s Day and round up of recipes! So many delicious options!

  51. What a fun collection of Valentine’s Day recipes! I’ve saved several of these so I can make them later. Also I love that you included the history of the holiday. I always learn from your posts. Happy Valentine’s Day!

  52. Kira says:

    Great post! I love the idea of putting these recipes in 1 post. fab list of Valentine’s treats and love the history behind it all!!! Thanks for sharing this.

  53. Cara says:

    Interesting read about the st valentines past!! Also loved the food recipes! They look good

  54. What a fun list of Valentine’s Day inspiration!

  55. Ghanashyam K says:

    This was great knowing why Valentine’s day is celebrated. And this is a wonderful collection of recipes, I shall be trying them out soon.

  56. Sue says:

    This is a great collection of ideas for Valentine’s Day! Thanks!

  57. Jessica says:

    Such great ideas and information!

  58. Fantastic recipe ideas, love them. Happy Valentine’s!

  59. Jessica Stroup says:

    Such a great list! I can’t wait to try all of them!

  60. Jeannie says:

    such a great list of Valentine‘s treats! 😍

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