In different parts of the world, people do not just send cards; they purchase boxes of chocolate, nostalgic candy, or partake in a fancy, romantic dinner. There are many other ways to celebrate.

People in Europe bake valentine buns with caraway seeds, plums, or raisins. People in Italy hold a Valentine's Day feast.

In Britain and Italy, some unmarried women get up before sunrise on Valentine's Day. They stand by the window watching for a man to pass. They believe that the first man they see will be the person they marry!

In Denmark, people send pressed white flowers called "Snowdrops" to their friends. Danish men also send a type of valentine called a "gaekkebrev". This is a letter where the sender writes a rhyme but does not sign his name. Instead, he signs the valentine with dots, one dot for each letter of his name. The woman has to guess who the sender was!

Although views on how Valentines Day originated vary, most authorities trace Valentine's Day back to an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia. The ancient Romans held the festival of Lupercalia on February 15. During this celebration, young men struck people with strips of animal hide. Women took the blows because they thought that the whipping made them more fertile.

Thank you, but no thank you on that one. I will take a box of candy any day!

Speaking of candy, when you think of nostalgic candy, you cannot help but think "NECCO". It has been around since 1847. They are a staple in what we view as nostalgic candy. They have several types of candy still available, such as Clark Bar, Sky Bar, Buttons and Wafers.

What does this have to do with Valentines Day traditions? Have you considered the history of Necco's valentine hearts? These sweet little "I love you's" have been around for more than a century. This company is grounded in our history and has been around so long that Necco started out creating candy by hand. Thus, that is the origin of these classic candies. Valentine hearts are quite old; with legend stating that the tradition of handing out these candied messages of "I love you" dates all the way back to the Civil War.

They have certainly come a long way since then. In 1902, Necco began making their Valentine's Hearts in a factory. They have many different sayings now (in fact they have manufactured over one hundred different sayings). What are some of the favorites? They include "kiss me", "sweet talk", and "be mine".

Join us at http://www.nostalgic-candy.net for your sweet tooth desires!