With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we take a brief look at the history of the day, and give you some love inspiration.

Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14 and honors romance, love, and matters of the heart.

There is a bit of controversy about how Valentine’s Day first came about but the theory that we like the most comes from Ancient Roman times. It is thought to be linked to a Roman Festival in which young boys and girls would pulled names out of a bowl to see who they would spend the rest of the festival with. Some pairings even got married.

Fun Fact: The red rose was the favourite flower of Venus, Cupids Mother and the Goddess of Love.

There was once a boy named Cupid, he was the son of Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love. Cupid is usually associated with Valentine’s Day as the mischievous boy who went around sending arrows through the air, making people fall in love.

Fun Fact: King Henry VII officially declared February 14th the holiday of Saint Valentine in 1537.

The most popular gifts around the world that are given to celebrate the ‘modern day’ Valentine’s Day are chocolates and flowers. As the years have passed however people are getting more creative and branching out from the expected chocolates and flowers.

If you’re looking for a unique gift, something that is a little different or something that will last long after the flowers have wilted and the chocolates have melted, come down to The Vintage Toy Box where we have loads of unique and quirky gifts for your loved one.

Sometimes the sweetest gift to give is one that brings back memories and gifts that you can have fun with.