Love and romance, mankind has paired into couples ever since Adam and Eve, but what makes some relationships sizzle and others fizzle? Some say it may well be the romantic nature of the individuals who make up the couple. However, whether you are single, searching or happily married, it is human nature to seek romance and love.

So why don't you take my quiz and test your Cupid Quotient?!?

1. In what country would a man send a woman a Valentine letter containing a rhyme and signed with a series of dots to represent his name? According to this country's tradition, if the woman guessed his identity correctly on Valentine's Day he would reward her with a gift.

A. Denmark

B. Italy

C. England

D. America

A. Denmark

QQ. In Denmark, a man would send a woman a Valentine letter containing a rhyme and signed with a series of dots to represent his name. If the woman guessed his identity correctly on Valentine's Day he would reward her with a gift.

2. In what country would young ladies awaken before sunrise and look out their window? According to tradition, the first man they saw would be either the man they would marry or someone who looked like their future husband.

A. Denmark

B. Italy

C. England

D. America

B. Italy

QQ. In Italy, young ladies would awaken before sunrise and look out their window. Tradition said the first man they saw would be either the man they would marry or look like their future husband.

3. In what country would a suitor leave a basket of gifts on his beloved's doorstep and run off?

A. Denmark

B. Italy

C. England

D. America

C. England

QQ. In England, a suitor would leave a basket of gifts on his beloved's doorstep and run off.

4. In what country would young ladies write their names on slips of paper and at Valentine's Day party young men would draw names.

According to this country's tradition, the young man would then wear the name of his lady on his sleeve for days to claim her as his valentine, originating the saying "wearing your heart on your sleeve."

A. Denmark

B. Italy

C. England

D. America

D. America

QQ. In America, young ladies would write their names on slips of paper and at a Valentine's Day party young men would draw names. A young man would wear the name of his lady on his sleeve for days to claim her as his valentine, originating the saying "wearing your heart on your sleeve."

5. The tradition of pairing lovers in February comes from:

A. A pagan festival called Lupercalia when young men and women drew names to choose partners, exchanged gifts and often married after the festival pairing.

B. Geoffrey Chaucer who chose the date because the 14th of February was the day birds began to pair for the spring nesting season.

C. Pope Gelasius chose Feb. 14th as the day to honor St. Valentine.

D. The Romans once honored Juno, the Roman goddess of women and marriage, and Pan, the god of nature, during a festival on Feb. 15.

E. They are all true

E. They are all true

QQ: Interesting how many reasons there are to become a couple on a specific date!

6. Valentine's Day-celebrated Feb. 14-is a festival of love and romance. Its history can be traced back to which civilization?

A. Rome

B. Greece

C. Celts

D. None of the above, it was created by the greedy card, chocolate and flower companies.

A. Rome

QQ: While admittedly the holiday has become excessively commercialized, it is not a manufactured holiday but one with a long tradition extending back to Rome

7. Why was Cupid chosen as the symbol of Valentine's Day and lovers?

A. He was the Roman god of love.

B. A celebrated marksman from Greece, he won the hand of his beloved through an archery match.

C. According to Celtic tradition, Cupid was an unfortunate suitor killed by the arrow of an outraged father who refused to let his daughter wed for love.

D. There is no reason other than the fact greedy card, chocolate and flower moguls thought that was the cutest design created by their marketing staff.

E. All are correct

A. He was the Roman god of love.

QQ: Sometimes we get a little silly

8. The original Valentine, who was sainted after his death, was:

A. A Christian priest who lived in Rome and was jailed and later beheaded for aiding persecuted Christians in 270 AD

B. Was killed on the site of ancient altar to Juno (the Roman goddess of women and marriage).

C. A bishop of Terni who was persecuted for converted Romans to Christianity and performing Christian marriages.

D. Was actually two different Christian martyrs.

E. All are correct

E. All are correct

QQ: You couldn't miss!

9. Deep red carnations tell your loved one that...

A. Your heart is broken.

B. Celibacy

C. Friendship

D. True Love

A. Your heart is broken.

QQ: Your heart is broken because they mean "alas, my poor heart".

10. Roses are among the most popular flowers for lovers to give, but what does the gift mean?

A. Hopeless love

B. Be mine

C. Love

D. Farewell

C. Love

QQ: That one was easy, wasn't it?

11. However, the combination of white and red roses sends what message?

A. Unity

B. Declaration of love

C. Farewell

D. Distrust

A. Unity

QQ: You could get bonus points for that!

12. If you hope to propose, what flowers should make up the bouquet you present to your intended?

A. Ivy

B. Blue violets

C. Globe amaranth

D. Rose

E. Any and All

E. Any and All

QQ: I think combining all these flowers would make a beautiful gesture as: Ivy means fidelity and marriage, Blue violets mean faithfulness, Globe amaranth means unfading love, and Roses mean love

You can find more trivia fun at The QuizQueen and Trivia Tidbit.

Submitted with Article Distributor.

MyCampusDates is awarding up to $5,000 in scholarships to students from Butler University, Indiana University, Purdue University, Ball State University, and Indiana State University to represent their campus as the "Date Master." The "Date Master" will represent their university for MyCampusDates as the "go to" person for advice on dating/social issues and the website itself, while creating buzz on campus for other students to join. Each "Date Master" will oversee the functionality of the site, and provide promotional marketing ideas while helping other students become more socially active.Not only will a "Date Master" have great networking opportunities, but they will experience the business aspect of the industry, rewarded by a scholarship and good resume listing. "This is by far the coolest scholarship offer I've ever seen," said Erica Leann, student of Indiana University. A potential "Date Master" is charismatic, easygoing, and has what Simon Cowell calls a "likeability factor." Students interested in this scholarship opportunity can obtain eligibility information and fill out an application at www.MyCampusD Deadline for this opportunity ends March 31st.

About MyCampusDatesMyCampusD is a social dating website bringing friends together. We welcome all students, over the age of 18, seeking to meet other campus singles for relationships ranging from friendships to companionship, party-dates to study-dates, romance to life partners. Our sole purpose is to provide an easy and convenient medium for our members to meet those in their area campuses and across the U.S.

St. Valentine's Day – myth or fact?

We all know that the 14th February has become known as St.Valentines Day and that small keepsakes are supposed to be sent to your heart's desire on that day. It is supposed to be done anonymously but over the years couples and would-be lovers have slightly changed the rules in this interesting 'game'.

For example, the original St. Valentine actually existed – in fact there were seven of them – but no-one knows which the day is named for. Originally the single girls in the villages and towns would put their names on paper and put in a container. The single men would draw out a piece of paper each and would make that girl his 'charge' for the following year. Over time this was abolished – it was considered pagan by some religions – and today, somewhat cynically, we give cards and gifts signed in our own names. After all, wouldn't it be dire if a rival for his or her affections got the appreciation for the gift that you sent!

Over recent years many people have taken to wearing red on the special day and in some countries it is taking on epic proportions even to the point of being treated as a sort of unofficial holiday. People tend to party away as if it was Christmas or some such holiday but of course this was not the original idea of this day.

In current times gifts are given between married couples, children to parent, parent to children etc. All have got in on the act and what better way to show that someone special that you were thinking of them on the day in question. In fact, the 14th February is fast becoming a favorite day for marriages or for official engagement ceremonies.

So how do you show your love or respect for that special person? Well, look no further. At you are virtually spoiled for choice.

There are the more conventional cuddly toys and teddy bears holding messages of undying devotion as well as mugs, leather goods and other knick knacks but if it is something traditional that you have in mind then some of the jewelry is exceptionally stylish with many pieces being suitable for engraving with their, or your, initials.

One rather delightful piece is the cufflinks on offer with room inside for a photo or two. Imagine giving your executive husband this gift with a photo of you in one and your child or children in the other. This man would sure to feel loved every time he had the opportunity to wear them!

Some come in a silver finish while there is a particularly modish set made of brass. Add engraved initials and 'voila' the perfect gift.

For the guy who likes collectables, there are old-fashioned model trucks and tankers filled with sweet things or nuts and the name of the company can be mounted on the side. This is a kind of 'two way' gift since something can be consumed now whilst the container is a great keepsake.

For the lady of the house how about a silver cuff bracelet beautifully engraved with her initials? Or perhaps a silver heart suspended from a rope of pearls?

For the sweet toothed there are boxes of cookies with appropriate messages of love iced onto them and these come in different sizes and overall weight. The children would love this gift – either as the giver or receiver – and the best thing is that the parcel can be shared! Of course, this may not be the ideal gift if the loved one in your life is watching their weight so consider this carefully before ordering.

For the more daring of the lovers amongst you there are candy condom bouquets. Your intentions could not come plainer than this and it is a fun, romantic gift to give to your intended target.

Nothing says 'I love you' better than an extremely personal gift but for those of you who are 'romantically challenged' it could not be easier to find something suitable on this site. These don't have to be costly either. A heavenly scented candle – or basket of candles – would be highly appreciated by the person who would love to relax in a warm bubble bath – with scented candles all around - whilst the kids are being taken care of. Different scents relate to different moods and it is up to you exactly what you wish to convey when choosing this gift.

A most unusual gift is the custom-made sculptures that are made to emulate that special person. You provide the photo of the recipient (by computer) and bluechopsticks provide a five and a half inch caricature of that person. There are many styles of dress to choose from including slinky dresses to baseball outfits – even couples for the top of cakes – and your hardest task would be to choose which one is most suited to the occasion.

Of course it has become somewhat traditional to give chocolates and flowers on this one day of the year but you would stand out more if you took the time to choose something a little different. In fact there are women out there – and guys too - who would be completely disappointed if that bouquet did not arrive at the office for all to see.

But guys beware! No woman wants to get a 'gift' for the house or kitchen even if it is given under the guise of a being a gift from the children to the Mom. Consider what she would appreciate well before the deadline. Nothing says you care more than a well planned gift and you will benefit from the goodwill fall-out for some time to come! After all – a happy wife makes for a happy life!

In fact, practically anything with a heart or flowers on would be acceptable to both sexes and there are many items like this at Just remember to order early to avoid disappointment – particularly for the engraved goods on offer.

Valentine's Day is, of course, the biggest day of the year for love quotes. Whether you've just fallen head-over-heels in love... have been married for 60+ years... or kinda, maybe have a crush on someone, you'll find love quotes can help you this Valentine's Day.

How?

Love quotes are great for Valentine's Day cards and e-cards. You can also use them in emails, scrapbooks, collages, and on gift cards with flowers or other gifts. The sky is the limit!

It's often almost impossible to explain how you feel when you fall in love. Love quotes can help a lot -- they can make your feelings sound romantic, funny... even poetic.

Whether you're looking for funny love quotes, romantic love quotes, famous love quotes, cute love quotes, or even sad love quotes, we have some great ones for you.

Here are ten of my very favorites:

1. "True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked." - Erich Segal

2. "Real love stories never have endings." - Richard Bach

3. "Gravitation can not be held responsible for people falling in love." - Albert Einstein

4. "Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius." - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

5. "Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies." - Aristotle

6. "Love is like playing the piano. First you must learn to play by the rules, then you must forget the rules and play from your heart." - Unknown

7. "The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller

8. "A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous." - Ingrid Bergman

9. "There is a place you can touch a woman that will drive her crazy. Her heart." - Melanie Griffith

10. "You don't marry someone you can live with - you marry the person who you cannot live without." - Unknown

To end on a fun note, here are five of my favorite love quotes from kids:

1. "I'm not rushing into being in love. I'm finding fourth grade hard enough." (Girl, age 10)

2. "Don't forget your wife's name... That will mess up the love." (Boy, age 8)

3. "If falling in love is anything like learning how to spell, I don't want to do it. It takes too long." (Boy, age 7)

4. "When a person gets kissed for the first time, they fall down and they don't get up for at least an hour." (Girl, age 8)

5. "You should never kiss a girl unless you have enough bucks to buy her a big ring and her own VCR, cause she'll want to have videos of the wedding." (Boy, age 10)

Happy Valentine's Day -- and enjoy these love quotes!

For more love quotes for Valentine's Day, check out the popular love quotes section of Famous-Quotes-And-Q a website that specializes in 'Top 10' lists of quotations in dozens of categories.

Ever been on a Mega Date? Wondering what in the world is a mega date? Probably best described as more fun than two people should be allowed to have in one day. A mega date is an all day date taking in all the typical dating activities. It's not for the weak! You need a great sense of humor and a great sense of adventure. Why a mega date? Between working, going to school, taking care of the kids, having any type of social life can be difficult and time consuming. Finding time to date can be next to impossible. You meet someone, maybe meet for lunch one day, go out on a typical Friday night date, take in a movie and dinner, make small talk. Yawn! Life is short! Kick it up a notch! A mega date is a great way to get to know someone new or add spice to a stale relationship. It will take a bit of planning but doesn't have to be expensive, there are plenty of activities you can do that don't cost much. Here is how it works.

You plan out as many activities as you can fit into one day. The mega date day will start at 8am and go to midnight! You will need to figure out how long each activity will last and how far apart they are. You need to allow for travel time between activities and some time for unexpected things that can pop up. It is best to find a number of quick activities that don't take more than an hour or two. For example, instead of playing 9 holes of golf you can just go to a driving range and hit a bucket of balls. Instead of an all day bike ride, ride for a half hour, have a picnic, then ride back. I think you get the idea.

Your day may start with something like a walk around a lake and then going out for breakfast or just a bagel and coffee. Your next few activities should include more physical things like golf, tennis, biking etc. Try and schedule a picnic for lunch. The afternoon might include visiting a local museum, other interesting landmarks or your local "must see" tourist destination.

Try to include things you or your date have never done but had always wanted to. Take in a movie, a show or other current event. Have dinner at some romantic restaurant or local hot spot (as long as the wait isn't too long!, you don't want to get off schedule.) Try a carriage ride, horseback riding, miniature golf, anything on the water, rent a canoe or paddle boat, Go for a swim at a waterpark or beach. Visit an art gallery, Go to a casino, put $10 in a slot machine and see who is the bigger winner. Go bowling. Go hiking in a park, Play Frisbee golf. Go indoor ice skating, Go rollerblading. Get a couples massage, Visit a vineyard. Visit a petting zoo. Plan both indoor and outdoor activities. Have backups if there is a change in weather. Put your thinking cap on and search for fun things to do in your area. Cram in as much fun as you can.

At the end of the day, you and your date will be exhausted but it will be the most fun you have had in a long time. You will both be thinking "I can't believe we did all that!" Don't forget to bring a camera to capture the day, then make a scrapbook of the mega date day.

A Few Mega Date Rules:

Stay on schedule

A sense of humor must be maintained at all times

The person who plans the mega date is in charge.

The person who was invited on the mega date is not to ask what the next activity is. The day is a total surprise for the person invited. All activities must be kept confidential.

No whining.

No napping.

The person invited must be a good sport and go along with all activities.

The person invited must read these rules.

Have fun!!

Find online dating advice, dating ideas, news and links at the Mega Date Cafe

Writing a love poem for the one you love can seem like an impossible task when you've memories of struggling with English in school. But it needn't be.

Even if you remember the correct grammatical terms for verse and rhyme is not important here? Whilst that's great to know when you're studying literature, it might hold you back when you're starting out on your very own love poem.

Only two things are important here.

1. To think from the heart

2. To write from the heart

So how to start?

1. First of all get yourself some paper and a pen and block off a bit of time when you won't be undisturbed. If you want to play some music fine, but let it be inspiring stuff, rather than loud and aggressive. I've often found that setting aside a particular block of time, (say ½ hour) helps.

2. Sit down quietly, close your eyes and remember all the good things about your loved one. Try to focus on three main areas for the moment (you can choose others if you like). Think about a) How you felt when you first saw them. When and where did you meet them, what was said,and what were they wearing? b) How it felt when you knew you were in love with them. When was the moment? How did you know? How did you feel and how did you let them know? c) How you feel now that you're with them. How do you look forward to the future together? What plans do you have? How do you compare your life now with your partner to times before, without them? What dreams do you share?

4. Now start to write your thought down onto paper. This is called prose. Prose is more every day speech than poetry, and it just describes your thoughts and the facts (for a fuller description see www.wikipedia.com). You could think of prose as just an outpouring of your feelings onto paper. Don't hold back. Just go for it. It can all be edited later. For now, just spill it out and get it down.

5. When you feel that you've written enough (you decide how much that is), it's time to review it. A review is your own chance to really look back at what you've put down on paper.

Are there parts you don't like or areas you want to write more about? Perhaps there are sections, words or sentences that you really don't want in there? Be honest with yourself. No-one's looking at it at this stage, and you're not trying to rival Shakespeare. It's more important that these are your honest feelings, even if you might 'flounce them up', poetically, later on.

6. Most 'love poem' advice now recommends that you replace common nouns with proper nouns. It's not too complicated. It means Instead of saying 'flower' - which is pretty general, be more specific and choose a type of flower - say 'Rose' for example. Make sure your choice of flower begins with a Capital Letter.

7. The next stage is to put a 'strong' verb in place of a 'weak' one. Don't fret too much about this. Instinct should tell you if it sounds right. For a really detailed explanation of our two English types of nouns (no – I didn't know that either) take a look at the website.

8. And finally, the general advice is to bring all these three memories together with a metaphor. Remember them? When you use as… like. It's a comparison. Again Google comes up with a good explanation. This page also has come good poetry metaphors to get your started.

9. The last stage is to re-read your prose – either out loud, or in your head, making note of all those conscious thoughts you have about it. You can make notes on the paper at this stage or just 'feel' what it says to you. This process breaks up the prose into poetry.

10. You may want to give your poem a title. You can either pick something from what you've written or write something general such as 'What you mean to me'.

11. When that's done decide if you want to hand write your poem on a blank card or whether you'd prefer to type it on the computer, and print it. With a bit of placement planning, you can fold and insert your print-off into your card).

Remember that it's love poem. The one you give it to will be more touched by the genuine effort and feeling involved than the 'correct English'. For more inspiration take a look at some of the classic love poems out there.

Geraldine Jozefiak has written extensively about choosing, writing and sending a Love Card. Greeting Card Guide gives you the latest news, trends and products to make your greeting card selection as quick, fun and painless as possible.

Every day I talk to men and women who are facing their fair share of the challenges that face nearly all of us at one time or another in the dating world. That's to be expected, and is part of the human experience…at least nowadays it is.

But man…from time to time I encounter stories and/or situations that are definitely non-standard. Particularly interesting are the brouhahas men and women get themselves into that involve clear passage into the realm of "cognitive dissonance", which is essentially the concept of continuing to believe that something is the case when the evidence is overwhelming that such is indeed NOT the case.

And it's that great desire to have someone we are practically obsessed with "love and accept us for who we are" which leads us into this particular brand of turmoil when it comes to dating. Every time. Unfortunately, when we want so badly to believe that someone who is indifferent (or even flatly uninterested) is going to accept us and become romantically attracted to us we open the door to being manipulated, trifled with or flat-out USED.

Here are some specific scenarios that I have seen in real life. If you can personally relate to any of what follows it's time to WAKE UP and realize that someone you have the "hots" for is being at best opportunistic with you or-at worst-is going to milk his or her relationship with you for all you are worth.

1) Financial Appeals

One time a few years ago I picked up a woman at her home to take her out. She informed me that she would need a few more minutes because she was IMing with a guy two thousand miles away. She said it was important because although she had no interest in ever really meeting this man he "sent her money all the time". So she was essentially leveraging her "feminine wiles" for purely ulterior financial motives (which I referred to immediately as "Typing For Dollar$"). Inexplicably, the lonely guy on the other end of the conversation let this go on and actually sent her checks.

Predictably, this same woman woke up a few days later to an empty driveway, her SUV having been repossessed. I'll never forget the phone call where she demurely purred a request that I "lend her $17,000". I may never forget that phone call, but I forgot her. Fast.

2) Requests For Favors

Unfortunately, situations like unto what I'm about to describe are not rare. Back in my early twenties I lived with several roommates, all of whom attracted women easily and often. One day I came home and a pleasant young woman with a particularly sweet personality was nearly finished with what must have been a monumental task of having deep-cleaned our entire house from top to bottom. Speechless, I asked what prompted her to do such a thing. "Oh", she said, "Your roommate hired me to be your maid." It turns out he "forgot" to pay her the paltry five bucks (!?) agreed upon. Yet, she was back again the next week for more of the same. My roommate never so much as asked her out. Ever.

And I bet you thought I was going to cite a woman doing this sort of thing to a guy, didn't you. Wrong. This is not a gender-specific deal.

3) Invitations To Spend Time And Resources

What if someone invites you to go somewhere or do something that's particularly expensive and/or far away? What if the same person who invited you casually expects you to foot the bill and/or do the driving? I believe the answers to these deep questions are rhetorical. Yet, it's amazing how many single people have a Blackberry full of willing minions.

4) "Coincidental" Timing

This bullet point is particular appropriate to discuss with Valentine's Day rapidly approaching. Old flames have a way of flaring up in early February. There's just something about Valentine's Day that "ignites" dread and frustration there, causing them to pick up the phone. "HEY…you've been on my mind lately for some reason and I kind of miss you…" Yeah, yeah. Next.

The Valentine's Day factor here is readily transparent. But question the intentions of anyone who disappeared off the planet only to suddenly resurface later with a new agenda. No matter what the calendar says.

5) Sexual Bargaining

You would think, were stereotypes accurate, that men would bargain FOR sex and women would bargain WITH sex. Well, allow me to be the first to inform you that such thinking doesn't necessarily apply anymore. Beware the particular danger of being blindsided by this brand of manipulation when the roles are reversed. That's what it is, too-manipulation. And let me tell you, this can creep up on you with such a quickness that when the realization of what is going on whacks you upside the head you don't know whether to stare wide-eyed in the mirror in disbelief or to just burst out in laughter.

I hear at least one guy reading this muttering to himself that he should be so lucky to be "manipulated" as such. To each his own. But once you get total control of your dating life like I've been talking about around here my guess is that you'll develop higher standards. Nice.

6) Pregnancy "False Alarms"

One time I called things off with a woman who I had been spending some time with. That arrangement apparently didn't meet her needs. Three days later she called me up claming that she was "pregnant with my child" and that she was "keeping the baby".

I had never had sex with this woman.

And no, I am not making this up.

If you are left slack jawed at the reality that the above hijinks go on in the real world, count yourself fortunate to have the wherewithal to exercise common wisdom in your own dating life. If you can relate, however, get out of such a poisonous arrangement and do it NOW.

And a final thought, which I would be remiss if I excluded from this conversation. If you are looking in the mirror and realizing that you are in fact the perpetrator of such preposterous dealings with people in your own life, my only message to you is that today is the day to start deserving what you want. Users and manipulators will get used and manipulated in return along the path of a frustrating and fruitless journey to find a partner with whom he or she can enjoy a mutually respectful relationship.

Scot McKay's dating strategies for those who refuse to settle for anything less than the ULTIMATE relationship are found at: Stop by right now and grab a FREE e-book ($20 value) when you sign up for the X & Y Communications Newsletter, which is always packed with unique and practical dating tips.

Women and teens around the world opened small packages during the holiday season, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, Valentines Day, and other special occasions that contain a beautiful bottle of designer perfume. It may be their first bottle of designer perfume or it may be a fragrance bought on a regular basis. Why do women enjoy the special aroma of a substance that demands a substantial investment? Discriminating women know that people notice! Whether you are trying to impress someone else or just enjoy the luxurious fragrance, designer perfumes can accomplish the desired results…for all ages. Designer perfumes are worth the investment because of their unique and beautiful blends. These fragrances also last for up to four hours.

Designer perfumes can provide a woman with a subtle, refreshing, or gentle aroma…a beautiful blend of musk, sandalwood, fruits, vanilla, gardenias, amber, orange blossoms, or the hint of spring. Oriental spice blends are popular as well as natural woods, or flowers. Designer fragrances can be fun and flirty, erotic and romantic, sensuous and enticing, and always refreshing, gentle, and clean. Talented chemists spend years formulating just the right ingredients that discriminating women want to enjoy. Each fragrance can have a slight different aroma created by each person's skin chemistry. It only takes a quick spray to give the refreshing and subtle fragrance desired. You do not want to overdo! Many people are allergic to strong smells and you do not want to risk giving a negative impression rather than accomplish the beauty of the scent.

Find the fragrance that fits you….designed for day or evening wear. Seasonal perfumes are also available by many designers. It is always a good idea to keep a small bottle in your purse for the woman on the go.

Do you remember the excitement and anticipation that came with every Valentine's Day when we were kids? It became almost a competition to see which kid in your classroom managed to garner the most of the flimsy punch-out Valentine's cards with their even flimsier envelopes. In spite of the enthusiasm for the cards portraying the cultural icons of that particular year, the biggest attraction of the day was getting Conversation Hearts, the more the merrier. That's what Valentine's Day was and still is for most kids.

The idea of Conversation Hearts has been around since the late 1800s. The first "conversations" candies were not in the shape of a heart but rather shaped as sea shells. The text was printed on a foil wrapper and not on the actual candy.

The first Motto Candy was invented in 1900 but it still was not heart-shaped. For some strange reason, perhaps to allow for longer imprinted sayings, these Sweet Heart candies were in the shape of baseballs, horseshoes, postcards, and watches. With the passage of time, the sayings got shorter and shorter and were reduced to one or two lines of sentiment which fit perfectly on a heart-shaped candy.

In 1900, four candy companies merged together to become the New England Confectionary Company or NECCO. The candy companies NECCO, Brachs, and Jelly Belly are the three primary manufacturers of the Conversation Hearts in the early 21st century. No matter who makes this Valentine treat, about 8 billion hearts are produced each year. Even though the peak selling season is a mere 6 weeks, the confectionary companies produce the hearts for 11 months of the year. Gee, I wonder what kind of preservative is used to give them such a long shelf life. Maybe I don't want to know.

Conversation Hearts are made by man and machine working together. There are 7 major steps in creating these candies:

Step 1 - Combine sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, flavors, gums, and colors into the mixing machine;

Step 2 - The machine mixes the ingredients together until they form a dough, much like the consistency of Play-Dough©;

Step 3 - The dough goes through a machine that presses the dough until it is flat;

Step 4 - The "conversation" words are applied to the dough and are then cut out of the dough in heart shapes. The candy drops onto a conveyor belt;

Step 5 - The hearts take a 30-minute ride through a drying tunnel;

Step 6 - The six different flavors are mixed together; and

Step 7 - the Conversation Hearts are bagged, boxed, and ready to eat.

In 2006, NECCO added a preposition and conjunction to its mix of sayings so that sweet sentiments might be spelled out more grammatically. NECCO has attempted, over the years, to include sentiments inline with the current culture. The candies come in 2 sizes - small and large. The small heart has room for approximately two words of four letters each while the larger hearts can contain two words of five letters each.

Whatever their size or sayings, Conversation Hearts are and will be timeless.

Terry Kaufman is Chief Editorial Writer for N N and N

©2006 Terry Kaufman. No reprints without permission.

Mood. It is something very complicated. One moment, we are in a mood to go out and meet some friends, and the next moment our mood changes. Mood is a state of mind and as most of us have no control over our minds, our mood changes from sad to happy or vice versa.

Valentine's day is coming. One cannot forget to be in the right mood for that day. Isn't it? How to do that? How to make sure that on that day, our mood does not become sad or some bad memories don't overpower us on that day? And that we are in a mood to appreciate our beloved and make him/her feel special.

What makes or decides the mood? First is the atmosphere. When you walk in a cancer ward of a hospital, your mood immediately becomes sad and you begin thinking of pains of life. And if after an hour, you find yourself in a party to celebrate your friend's birthday, with joy all around, your mood takes an about turn and you join the fun. So atmosphere decides mood.

The next to affect our mood are thoughts. If you read and think more about philosophy of living and the why and how of life, your mood automatically becomes serious. One needs a balance in life to keep a sane head all the time. Otherwise, either you will be always cheerful about everything and take nothing seriously or you will remain sad for most of the time. Bring a balance in your life, in your mind.

Coming to Valentine's Day, one has to get into the mood of romance. How to do that? Here are some tips. Read more romantic stories/novels or thoughts. Go window shopping near places that stock Valentine's gifts. Download few Valentine's day wallpapers or screensavers. Talk to your friends about how love changes life. Avoid any serious topic for few days. Choose clothes that energize you. Go for colors rather than whites. Shop for a lovely gift for your sweetheart. Buy some flowers. Small things will add to your mood and by the time the Valentine's Day arrives, you will be in a romantic mood.

CD Mohatta writes for animated screensavers and wallpapers on inspiration. He also writes text for ecards and quizzes. To read the content text, you can download the screensavers and wallpapers. Also send free ecards and enjoy

fun quiz cards.