I just read up on Saint Valentine on the web, and there is nothing to suggest that this martyr of the Catholic church has anything to do with the traditions of modern Valentine’s Day. The feast of St. Valentine first occurred in the year, 496 and it was established by Pope Gelasius I. In fact no one really is sure who Saint Valentine was as he appeared in various martyologies. Throughout history he has been described as a priest in Rome, a bishop or priest in Interamna or a Martyr in the Roman province of Africa. Knowing that what I am about to say isn’t sacrilegious makes me feel more comfortable knowing that God will not strike me down for this view, but I will probably further secure my seat in hell.  For me, I picture hell as being a room full of excellent cigars but not having anything to light them with.

Valentine’s Day as celebrated today is an evil holiday. It is a holiday where people are forced to bestow gifts on their loved ones because of a man made tradition. I am sure many relationships, including marriage have had to deal with a speed bump because of a forgotten gift or one that did not reach expectations. In fact you should not need a holiday to make that special someone feel special. If you are truly in love, everyday is special day filled with the nuances that make the relationship special. You should not need an excuse to bring home flowers, candy or jewelry to name a few. These gifts should be given throughout the year. Do I sound bitter? Well, I am. You see as a single person I am reminded how lonely it feels on this man made holiday. Hell, I even miss out on another man made holiday, Steak and Blow Job Day on March 14th.

The Sunday Links:

• Cigar In Hand reports on his experience at the Drew Estate Cigar Safari.
• Cigar Fan gives a great in depth review on the Hoya De Monterrey Reposado En Cedros.
• Smoking Hot Cigar Chick has a video review on her tasting of the La Palina Alison.
• Straight Up Cigars reviews the Nacho Libre Cuba Libre One.
• The Cigar Nut reviews the mermaid, La Sirena.
• The Tiki Bar smokes the Ambos Mundos Sumatra.