We hope you find this article diverting and useful. We have put a short history of Valentine's day followed by some really great and unique ideas for a different approach to enjoying this day with that special someone.

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Valentine's Day Ever wondered why we actually celebrate Valentine's day? Well some say the day is named after a bishop named Valentine, who was stationed in the Roman Empire. Claudius II was the Emperor at that time. He thought that unmarried men made better soldiers, so he decided to make it a law that young men could not marry. Around 270 A.D, Valentine took pity on the ostracized soldiers who were not permitted to marry or see their sweethearts. He became an advocate of these young lovers and began to perform secret marriages. He was soon found out and jailed. Emperor Claudius II attempted to convert Valentine to begin worshipping the Roman gods, but Valentine refused. Instead, he tried to convert Claudius to Christianity and Valentine was sentenced to be executed on February 14, 270. Another version of the history of Valentines Day tells that Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. Just before his death, he sent her a note and signed it “from your Valentine.” An aura of romance surrounded his demise and those who knew about it spread the tale. Bishop Valentine became Saint Valentine with his fame extending to England and France. February has been the month to celebrate love ever since the Middle Ages and has become a hugely popular holiday today. However the problems we face these days are thinking of something new and original to do for our loved ones each year. I mean, no one wants the same gift every year. Well, we at Party Shop are here to help you make this Valentine's day a special and memorable one! So you've done the chocolates, you've done the flowers, the heart shaped sweets, the love letters, the jewellery, what more could there possibly be?? Well, have you seen our beautiful Valentine's day balloons? Balloons create an atmosphere of romance and can really make that one person feel special and loved. * Send a bunch of helium balloons (red and white) to your loved one's place of work on Thursday Feb 14th with our secret trick... (Book your balloon arrangements early to avoid disappointment.) Write him/her a love letter and cut it up into about 10 pieces. Then all you have to do is bring the pieces to us and we'll put each piece inside a different balloon. Attach a note to the balloons explaining to them that they must pop the balloons and figure out the surprise inside. This creates a bit of mystery and intrigue. * Take one of these Valentine's day arrangements and personalise it with your own special touch. Add a box of chocolates to the bottom or a bottle of wine to make it extra special. Give us a small note for your love, and we will put it into one of the small balloons inside and after a few days you tell your loved one that you left something special for them inside one of the balloons. This is something nice you can do for him/her after all the Valentine's day hype has died down. * For a bigger gesture, order one of these heart shaped arches. This makes a big statement and will awe your loved one. Get hold of a whole lot of dress up items (giant fake moustaches, feather boas, hats, masks, and so on) for a whole lot of fun and photos! This arch is the perfect place to capture your Valentine's memories so that you will have them to treasure forever. * So you've planned the perfect evening out and you've booked the best seats in the restaurant. But how can you let him/her know that this special day is 100% about them? These wrapped pillars say it all. Your loved one will be so amazed by this controversial gift that they will never forget this Valentine's day! * You have a romantic home made dinner planned and you can't wait for your loved one to walk through the front door on that special evening. You've got the candles, the rose petals and the aroma of an amazing meal. What more could you need? Well this heart shaped frame says I love you like nothing else. It can either be hung, placed on tables or propped up on a stand. Either way the impact will be big. This will really be something different that you can do for Valentine's this year! So now you have plenty of great ideas to make Valentine's day something different and something special this year! Conact us at least 1 week in advance to make sure we have the time we need to help you let your loved one know how much they really mean to you.