Valentine's Day: The Origins of the Holiday

So, some people may be wondering what the origins of the Valentine's Day holiday actually are. I mean, we all know that we exchange gifts of love, we get our loved one roses, chocolate, and massages, but does anyone really know why we do these things?

According to the wikipedia entry, the holiday of Valentine's Day was actually created in honor of several saints with the name of Valentine who were martyred in early Christendom. The stories of their martyrdom may have been confused with the stories of other saints who were also matryred in the same, or even in different, periods of time.

One of the saints with the name Valentine was imprisoned in Rome, and questioned by the Roman emperor of the time, Claudius II. The Roman emperor attempted to convert Saint Valentine to the religion of pagan worship practiced by the Romans. Naturally, this was unsuccessful, and Saint Valentine was executed. He was reported to have performed a miraculous healing on the daughter of his jailer, whose name was Julia. He is reported to have written her a note that was signed as "Your Valentine." After his death, his jailer Asterius and his entire household of forty four people believed in Jesus and were baptized.

This same Saint Valentine was reported to have have performed Christian weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. According to these same legends, Saint Valentine was said to have cut heart shapes from red paper and given them to the Roman soldiers to remind them of their vows and of God's love. Saint Valentine is also said to have worn a purple amethyst ring engraved with an image of Cupid, since this symbol of love was allowable by the Roman government of the time.

Centuries later, many of these origins have long since been forgotten, but these great saints have become permanently associated with love and affection. Exchanging of gifts signifying love and affection still remains in our modern society, although in many cases the gifts have become more elaborate. Whereas in centuries past, lovers may have exchanged hand written notes and candy to show their love and affection, today lovers may exchange roses, chocolate, greeting cards, and spa or massage gift certificates. One of the more popular modern displays of love is to give your spouse or loved one a couples massage, where you both receive a massage together. Such a relaxing event is often the prelude to a romantic evening which may include an elaborate dinner prepared by a chef, a candlelit dinner, perhaps even taking in a movie either at home or at the theater, or even attending a Broadway show.

We welcome your comments below on what your idea of the perfect Valentine's Day might be. Do you have dinner out or in? Chocolates, flowers, candy, and cards? A movie at the local theater or in your home (Netflix or Amazon)? Let us know what are your favorite traditions, and we might use your contributions in a later blog :-)

Chocolates, Roses, Candy, Couples Massage? Just a Few Traditional Ideas to Make Valentines Day Special

For couples who enjoy the traditional and simple pleasures of Valentine's Day, it is rather simple to create a traditional Valentine's Day celebration at home. There is an interesting article discussing just that, which can be found by clicking here.

The first item on my list would be a romantic couples massage in your home. While all of the traditions that are below are wonderful, there is nothing like starting the evening with complete relaxation and stress relief. While this is lower on their list, I would put it to number one, and even recommend that it occur in the afternoon, so that the evening can be reserved for more quiet and traditional activities.

You can also present your loved one with a gift certificate for a couples massage, allowing you to have a quiet romantic evening on Valentine's Day, with the promise of a romantic spa day in the future.

For a traditional Valentine's Day, flowers are the most essential and number one on their list of traditions for Valentine's day. Roses, carnations, a bouquet of pretty flowers, and even nowadays a bouquet of fruit so that the flowers can be eaten instead of dying after a few days. Edible arrangements can be called upon to provide these types of bouquets, and of course, 1800flowers is the simple way to get flowers from your local florist from one central location.

On their list, the next two items are chocolates and chocolate candy. Hersheys and Russell Stovers are my favorite picks for chocolates, although the M&M's with personalized love notes that they suggest is a fabulously romantic idea! You can put all kinds of romantic little messages to your loved ones on m&m's candies.

Love poetry for your loved one, created by you, is the next traditional item on this list of traditions. While there are apps to create love poetry, it doesn't have to rhyme, and original is always better. Next on their list is mood music. There are lots of apps that can create romantic music serenades to play in the background. You already know your loved ones' favorite music, and it is easy to use an app like Iheartradio or Pandora to create a playlist tailored to your loved one.

When it comes to Valentine's Day traditional gifts for your loved one, whether you have been together a long time or a few months, jewelry tops the list of many people. A simple heart necklace, or a beautiful ring decorated with small diamonds is a beautiful reminder of the love you share that will last forever.

The last traditional activity shared by the article is to see a movie together. Many couples will go to a movie theater to see the latest romantic comedy, but maybe you are more the type who wants to spend time at home watching a movie. Amazon allows you to rent their movies for a night at a very reasonable price, and if your flat screen tv is attached to your computer, then a streaming movie would be perfect.

If you are not interested in going the traditional route, we have posted another article talking about unique ideas that you can do for Valentine's Day. They are just as romantic as the ideas here, but are more original and non-traditional. If you would like to see this article, please click here.

Romantic Valentine's Day Ideas For Couples

While couples massage is a great idea for Valentine's day, there are lots of other ideas for things you can also do that are both romantic and fun. There is a great article on familylife.com where they surveyed their readers for their most romantic Valentine's day gift ideas. Rather than flowers and chocolates, their readers had some excellent ideas, some of which will be shared in this blog. You can read more at their article, linked to by clicking here.

My favorite romantic Valentine's Day idea that their readers suggested was to take the day off for both you and your spouse (with her bosses' permission, of course!), and have a romantic lunch, relax with spa treatments (or a couples massage at home), and then make her a special romantic dinner. The person who suggested this made the special dinner while his wife received a spa treatment and a tanning session.

Another excellent idea for Valentine's Day was to create either a book handwritten with all the reasons why you love your spouse, and all the things you love about them, or to write the reasons why you love your spouse on cards, and insert them into the pages of a photo album. Both of these are great ways to show someone you love them, although the second option might be a little easier and less time intensive.

Another reader suggested making a romantic breakfast for your loved one, where you make items that can be shaped into words, flowers, or hearts, such as a heart shaped tart or string beans that spell out I Love You. One of the cutest ideas was to have dinner or lunch at a restaurant where you went when you were first together. This is a great idea, especially if you haven't gone to that restaurant in a while. Another person suggested making dinner together at home while listening to romantic music.

Some of the best Valentine's ideas were finding ways to show the person you love how much you care. While having a couples' massage with your loved one is a great way to show you care, it can also be paired with creating lists of all the reasons you love them, or creating the photo album gift, writing them a note listing 14 or more ways why you love them and placing it next to a special breakfast meal, or writing the reasons for your love in a book, which you deliver with a dozen roses or beautiful chocolates. Of course, Russell Stovers candies (click here) are always romantic, and Hersheys (click here) has some great romantic candy available for Valentine's Day.

If you would like to learn more about couples' massage for Valentine's Day or any other occasion, please click here to visit our website.

Couples Massage After Birth: Fostering the Bond Between Mom, Dad, and Baby

A couples massage after the birth of your first baby is an amazing way to foster the bond between the three members of your family. Although the baby will most likely not be present, the bonding between new mom and dad in a couples massage will be invaluable for your family.

It has been shown in numerous studies that massage therapy stimulates the release of oxytocin, which is a hormone that helps with bonding. Since new fathers do not have the benefit of lactating, thus producing this hormone themselves, couples massage can take the place of this natural event that occurs in the mother’s life for the new father.

However, massage’s bonding benefits are more than hormonal, as humans are themselves multi-dimensional beings. In addition to the hormonal changes that occur, simply relaxing and being together in the same room also fosters closeness and bonding. And, as would seem obvious, if the mom and dad are strongly bonded, then the baby will find it easier to bond with both of them.

Returning to the hormonal changes that occur, it will also be easier for the mother and baby to bond during nursing because the release of oxytocin causes lactation and bonding in the new mother. Most often, it is the new mother who is in need of help with lactation, since her body may not be producing enough of this new hormone that has never been needed before.

So for women who are having difficulty producing enough milk, this type of post partum couples massage may be ideal. It is a much more relaxing and bonding experience to have a massage session, even a post natal massage session, with your loved one. Then the two of you can return to your new jobs as parents of a brand new baby with freshness, ready and able to provide the nurturing care that this new little one needs.

For more information about our couples massage services, or to book an appointment, please click here.
A couples massage after the birth of your first baby is an amazing way to foster the bond between the three members of your family. Although the baby will most likely not be present, the bonding between new mom and dad in a couples massage will be invaluable for your family.

It has been shown in numerous studies that massage therapy stimulates the release of oxytocin, which is a hormone that helps with bonding. Since new fathers do not have the benefit of lactating, thus producing this hormone themselves, couples massage can take the place of this natural event that occurs in the mother’s life for the new father.

However, massage’s bonding benefits are more than hormonal, as humans are themselves multi-dimensional beings. In addition to the hormonal changes that occur, simply relaxing and being together in the same room also fosters closeness and bonding. And, as would seem obvious, if the mom and dad are strongly bonded, then the baby will find it easier to bond with both of them.

Returning to the hormonal changes that occur, it will also be easier for the mother and baby to bond during nursing because the release of oxytocin causes lactation and bonding in the new mother. Most often, it is the new mother who is in need of help with lactation, since her body may not be producing enough of this new hormone that has never been needed before.

So for women who are having difficulty producing enough milk, this type of post partum couples massage may be ideal. It is a much more relaxing and bonding experience to have a massage session, even a post natal massage session, with your loved one. Then the two of you can return to your new jobs as parents of a brand new baby with freshness, ready and able to provide the nurturing care that this new little one needs.

For more information about our couples massage services, or to book an appointment, please click here.

Couples Massage At Home For Busy Moms and Dads

Busy new mothers and fathers have very little time to go out for a couples massage at the local spa. It is hard enough just to get a babysitter for an hour long massage session at home, even if Grandma or Grandpa is the babysitter. Forget about going to the spa and having to get a sitter for several hours!

New moms and dads are under much more stress than they were before they became parents. Sleepless nights for the first several weeks before the new baby is ready to sleep through the night adds stress to the body, which needs a certain number of hours of sleep every night to function properly. For those parents who already have small children, it is even more of a challenge to manage more than one child, especially with a new baby around. Sibling jealousies make it even more difficult while the other children adjust to the new baby. So, suffice it to say, new moms and dads can use a couples massage probably more than anyone. The new mom’s aches and pains from childbirth and pregnancy can be helped by massage therapy. The new mom’s massage can feature some aspects of post-natal massage, which she has not yet had time to get for herself. New dads are also in need of massage, since they have the added stress of working every day while the new baby is at home, and he too has to suffer the sleepless nights the first few weeks, right along with mom! So you can see why a couples massage at home would be an excellent choice for this of couple.

Next time you have a night to yourselves, which may be rare but is possible, think about booking a couples massage for the two of you. For more information about couples massage, or to book a session, please visit our website by clicking here.

Couples Massage: When Is the Best Time To Schedule a Session?

This topic, often overlooked, is something that should be addressed. Couples Massage may be scheduled based on one rule: Both parties to have the massage must be around! That's really it! Even so, trying to find a block of one hour or 90 minutes for both persons in a relationship can be hard work, in and of itself.

So, supposing both of you have a free hour or two on Tuesday evening around 10 PM. Is that too late? Definitely not! We do travel to New York City and New Jersey during that time. And it's a good time to have a session, because you will have had dinner hours ago, and can just relax and let the day's stress diminish.

What about a Friday morning? Why not?! It's really wonderful to have a massage early in the morning, just after showering. Contrary to the notion that you'll be tired the entire day, most people feel energized and awake. It's like dealing with the daily tension before it even gets a chance to begin accumulating. Mornings, in general, make a good time for a Couples Massage session.

That leaves us with afternoons. Is this a good time as well? Yes; and no. Firstly, most people naturally get sleepy during the afternoon. That's just how our biorhythms work, in most cases. So it's a lot more likely that you'll fall asleep, even more so than an evening session.

Falling asleep during a Couples Massage session may not be what you want. Some people wish to stay as conscious as possible to savor every moment with their loved one. But for couples who do not mind an unexpected nap together, an afternoon of Couples Massage can be perfect. If your loved one is the type to feel upset about such things, this is not the best time for you! Avoid a trifle and schedule at another time.

Lastly, that leaves us with late nights. Do we even travel that late? Usually, we stop at 11 PM. That's our latest session. But we can go later, for an extra charge. Late night Couples Massage at home can be the most "cosmic", clients report. Few find that they fall asleep, but rather enter a dreamy, less-solid waking state. Maybe this is the best time to experience cathartic Couples Massage sessions with your loved one? Could be.

In summary, we must conclude that every time during the day offers a different benefit, in terms of when to schedule a Couples Massage session at your home. Get massages when you can. Try different time slots, if possible. See how you and your partner like the effect of different times. You may find that morning Couples Massage sessions energize, just as we stated, and then decide to continue exploring the effect that the time of day has on the outcome, as well as moment-to-moment experience, of a Couples Massage session.

Couples Massage: Sharing Time In a Way You Likely Overlooked

When we think of all the activities couples can do together, it's usually because we're trying to find something new and exciting to do with our significant other. And of course, that's a good thing, because we should never stop exploring life and finding new places to go and things to do. But one often overlooked activity for two is the Couples Massage.

Couples Massage At Home is one of the original flagship services that we offered to clients in New Jersey and New York City, and we still do. Over the course of the last ten years, we've seen many people experiencing Couples Massage for the first time. Evidently, it's a great way to spend time together, as clients often book again.

Activities are usually thought of as things to do, or visiting places where there's good food to eat. Sometimes we engage in activities as couples that are more passive, such as seeing a movie or going to the theatre. Even as an engaged and rapt audience member, compared with white water rafting, or even a drive around the town with your significant other, watching a performance or movie is just not quite an active activity. That doesn’t really matter; what does, is that it's fun, a great way to spend some time cuddled together.

Many might think that Couples Massage might be a boring way to spend time as a couple, but that is just not so. Couples Massage is yet another passive activity that, like viewing a movie together, is both a personal and private experience. However, Couples Massage is an experience that has been regarded by many past clients as one of the closest times they've experienced being with their significant other. Sharing time while being worked on, healing together, can be a transcendental experience of incredible closeness.

Do keep Couples Massage in mind the next time you're trying to figure out what to do as a couple. It's definitely one activity that is more fun than it even sounds, and is worth trying at least once. There is a place in the life of a couple for eating out; there's also a place for a home-cooked feast. When planning our activities, it's great to diversify our time among all different sorts, from active activities, like gardening together, to more passive activities, like Couples Massage at Home.

Check out our website for more information by clicking here.