Every year many people celebrated Valentine's Day with their loved ones. But many of us know little about the St. Valentine's Day. There are different legends about the origin of Valentine's Day. One legend stated that Valentine was a priest who served during in third century in Rome. And he was put to death because he defied Emperor Claudius II's decree and continuing to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. Another legend suggested that he fell in love with a young girl, probably the daughter of jailer's daughter who used to visit him in the prison. It is believed that he wrote a letter to her, which he signed as "From your Valentine", an expression that is still use today. Around 498 AD Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as St. Valentine's Day. In France and England, Feb.14 is the beginning of bird's mating season and the idea came to the people that middle of February should be a day for romance.

In Great Britain, V-day celebration starts in 17th century and it became common for friends and lovers to exchange small token of love or handwritten notes. By the end of 18th century, printed cards replaced with written letters. In America, handmade valentines used in early 1700s, and started the printed card in 1840s. About the Valentine's Day is vague, but the stories emphasis his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and importantly a romantic figure. In 17th century, Valentine's Day is not only means for the lovers or couples but exchange of small token of affection or handwriting notes among the friends and others. But for many people in India, Valentine's Day mean only for the lovers or couples because we celebrate Mother's, Father's, Raksha Bandhan and Friendship's day in other days. Whatever it may be - Valentine's day is a day you can express your loved ones - your parents, siblings, friends and all those who matters.

Many people save money to get the most expensive gifts for their loved one on V-day. The Shiv Sena and VHP opposed the V-day to celebration as it is a culture imported from foreign soil but they don't oppose to give the gifts to their loved one in India. The V-day was not celebrated in early days in India but the essence and concept of V-day was there before the V-day being celebrated in India. Love and gift is common to every country but not to V-day celebration. There is love and everyone possesses love but only V-day is set part as a special day to express love to his or her loved ones. In every country, there is mixed culture and V-day is celebrated every year - whether in an ordinary or special way, except in some orthodox countries where there is restriction of practicing the foreign cultures.

This year how will you celebrate and what will be your gifts to your loved one? Is it necessary to buy a gift to express your love to some one? What is the best way to express your love - a small gift with big love or an expensive big gift with little love? V-day is only a special day set part from other days but it never means that there should not be love in other days. On this V-day, it is the time for the different companies - from Pepsi to Dior to Corum to earn a big money by producing different love gift packages. But for the Valentinians, it is the time to spend in purchasing the costly gifts for their loved one.

For many people love is blind totally blind and expresses their love with an expensive gift, which is beyond their capacity (budget) to purchase the gifts. In today's materialistic world, many people see the price of the gifts and only few people value highly the small gift and see the heart of the givers. Have you ever received any gift and snubbed the gift because the price of the gift is cheap? Some time, the price of the gift may be cheap but there is heart in that gift, which is costlier than the costliest gift that you received form some one without any heart in it.

There are many V-day gifts articles available from Archies shop (small gifts) to Corum (big gifts) There are many V-day gifts available ranging from Rs.100 (or below) to 532,000 Let's me tell you what some of my friends are going to purchase the gifts and do on this Valentine's Day. Some people think that they should buy an expensive gift on this V-day while the other thinks that it is not necessary to give an expensive gift for their loved one to show their love. One of my friend's names Mr. Keishing wants to purchase the Pepsi 'Love Wrap' from Delhi. Pepsi 'Love Wrap'- where his love messages will be printed on customized labels of 500-ml Pepsi bottle with Roses.

One stem of roses cost Rs.1,000/-. Another friend of mine Ms Pounai wants to get a suitcase-Panache as a gift for her boy friend- who loves to travel around the world. The price of Panache would be around Rs 3500-4500. Mr. Alemchiba wants to get a watch from Luxury watchmaker Christian Dior for his girl friend. Dior Girly watch is between Rs 30,500 to 44,000. There is also a scheme with that watch that anyone who buys the watch will get a free Candle light meal with Moet Hennessy Champagne in a Five Star restaurant some where in Delhi or Mumbai.

A friend of mine whose father is a Cabinet minister thinks that the best way to express his genuine love to his girl friend is giving the most expensive gifts available for the Valentine's Day. So he would be getting a 'Trapeze pink watch' from Corum. The price of Trapaze is Rs 532,000. All of my friends who have got girl friend and boy friends want to buy the best gifts for their loved one but what about the Singles? The Singles are also has something special for them. On this V-day the single yuppie friends of mine like Ms Chang, Leiyation, Asenla, Kevi and Nepuni have something special from Taj Group. The hotel Taj Group Goa has planned a range of activities to keep the singles fully occupied. These include icebreaker activities, Meditation programs, Swimming competition, Poolside and beach side activities, cocktail making etc.

Whether you are in India or foreign country- you are in city or countryside, love is in the air. Whether you celebrate V-day or not- you buy small or big gift-love is in the air. Whether it is V-day special gift or any other special or ordinary gifts-the most important aspects in gifts are not the price of gifts but the heart of the people or gift itself. Gift is something special that man cannot give easily without heart in it. We need to give gifts with our heart and receive with our sincere heart. A truthful rejection of gift is better than accepting without acceptance from the heart. A small gift with lots of love is better than the costliest gift without any love or heart. So express your love with gifts and accept the gifts with love.

(The above names are changed to avoid their identities)