Valentine's Day is often believed to have started with Father Valentine during the 3rd century Roman times.  However, could the beginning of the bird mating season have started or added to this lovely Holiday?  While the origins of Valentine's Day are not certain, the Medieval English and French lovers celebrated the start of the mating season on February 14th by reciting verse or prose to one another. 

Of course this would correlate with the coming of spring and yet another Valentine's origination theory.  Much further back in time, in the 4th century B.C., Romans celebrated the Lupercalia Festival starting of February 15th.  This festival marked the official start of spring and time of purification.  The Lupercalia Festival was dedicated to Faunus, the God of Agriculture. The Catholic Church is said to have replaced this pagan fertility festival with the Valentine's Day holiday.

Whatever the true beginnings of Valentine's Day, love is certainly in the air, and warmer temperatures won't be too far away as our Spring season officially begins in just over a month.