People all over Bartow County celebrate Valentine’s Day. Everyone feels differently about the holiday, but the one thing that separates it from the other holidays is that it is exclusively about love. Many couples feel as if Valentine’s Day is a day to demonstrate their affection for each other, while singles don’t seem to enjoy it quite as much.

Valentine's Day originates from a legend about a man named Saint Valentine. He was born in Rome during the marriage ban by the king. Saint Valentine, a devout Catholic priest, disagreed with the new law, and provided illegitimate weddings underground. Eventually he was caught and imprisoned, and sentenced to death. As a farewell, Valentine left a note for the warden’s daughter, who had befriended him, signed, “From your Valentine.” Today’s modern Valentine’s Day is celebrated by sending love notes to friends and significant others.

Couples everywhere have many ways of showing their care for their significant other on the special day. Couples go on a date to an expensive restaurant, while some prefer to stay at home and enjoy each other’s company away from the outside world. Presents are given, arrangements are made and feelings are shared. We talked to some of the couples here at Woodland High School to find out how they celebrate this widely-recognized holiday. 

Dalton Redd, a student at Woodland, shared, “I am taking Katie [Harris] on a surprise date. We are going to see the movie The Vow. Katie has wanted to see it for a while and it will be the perfect date for Valentine’s Day.”

April Blanton, a sophomore at Woodland, said, “Valentine’s Day is great for couples, but single people really try to focus on their friends. I will be giving my friends gifts to let them know I love them. Valentine’s Day is also great if you want to let someone know that you like them. In the fourth grade, a valentine I got from a boy said, ‘Will you go out with me?’ I thought it was the cutest thing ever. People who are single have a right to celebrate Valentine’s Day as much as couples.”

Mrs. Lori Howe, a Woodland Spanish teacher, said, “My favorite Valentine’s Day was in high school, when the man who would eventually become my husband decided to give me a mystery present. I went to my locker where I discovered one rose and a card that said, ‘I’.  After my second class, I got two roses and a card that said, ‘Love’.  Once the last class was over, I found him in the hallway with a balloon and a card that said, ‘You’. My other favorite was when my husband had our kids bring out little cards. One said something about a carrot, and the other about diamonds. After they had presented the cards, he came around the corner with a heart-shaped diamond necklace.”

Even if just for a simple 24-hour period, Valentine’s Day spreads the joyous feeling of love throughout the community. Whether it is shown through an extravagant gift, a heartfelt date or just a card to show that you care, Valentine’s Day is a time for everyone to show their love for people in their lives.