Pop the question

Other than flowers and jewellery, it’s traditional to give chocolates as a gift for Valentine’s Day. These are often heart-shaped, or typically come in an appropriately shaped red velvet box with an oversized bow. Chocolate's not only delicious, but has a reputation for being ‘psychoactive’ and sales of the stuff have soared during the recent cold weather (click on pics to enlarge).

Apparently the Aztecs prepared a frothy hot chocolate drink from cacao beans, which is thought to have been a stimulant, providing wisdom and vitality. It’s also said that Casanova ate chocolate as an aphrodisiac prior to bedding his conquests.



It’s even rumoured that the high polyphenol levels in chocolate can help protect against heart disease – not sure what the British Heart Foundation would have to say about that.

If you’re looking for a slightly more unusual Valentine gift, I suggest you visit ShopCurious, where you’ll find a selection of intricately handpainted collectable Valentine rings, each bearing a suitably curious question.





The rings are inspired by Italian fumetti/pop-art style comic-strips. Each features its own quirky cartoon beauty and a uniquely curious caption – which is great if you’re looking to pop the question, but a little lacking in courage.









There’s no need to say a word, just put on your curious pop-art Valentine ring and wiggle your finger about in the air – preferably in front of the face of the person you’d like to give you an answer.





Adorably and irresistibly cute, as well as being something of a fashion statement, these unique accessories each have their own story to tell. Not only are they the perfect substitute for chocoholic urges, but these totally original rings overcome the requirement to even open your mouth. Unless, that is, temptation simply gets the better of you …




in which case you might find that you just have to pop a chocolate, as well as popping that leading question.

Do you?

Summer wedding

Did you know that in Victorian times, June was considered the luckiest month for a wedding - hence the tradition of early summer weddings? June has always been the most popular month, as it is named after Juno - the Roman goddess of marriage. She would bring prosperity and happiness to all who wed in her month. Practicality was also a consideration since, if married in June, the bride was likely to give birth to her first child in spring, allowing her enough time to recover before harvest time. June also signified the end of Lent and the arrival of warmer weather, so it was time to remove winter clothing and partake of an annual bath! April, November and December were also favoured months, as they didn't conflict with peak farm working times. October was an auspicious month too, signifying a bountiful harvest. May, however, was considered unlucky. 'Marry in May and rue the day' says an old proverb, but 'marry in September's shine, your living will be rich and fine'. The Victorians were very superstitious about weddings, resulting in many traditions that have since fallen out of favour. Around the turn of the century, it was customary to create a marriage globe in the form of a collection of precious things from the special occasion, usually the bride's wedding crown, flowers and other family momentos inside a large glass dome. The items chosen to put into the dome were highly symbolic, for instance:

• Oak leaves to represent the longevity of union

• Sheaves of wheat to symbolise the gift of life

• Rectangular mirrors to signify the years of engagement

• Diamond shaped mirrors meaning fertility

• A large central mirror symbolic of the reflection of the soul

• Clusters of grapes standing for prosperity

• Roses or daisies representative of love

• Cherries seen as protection from bad fortune

• Ivy indicating attachment to each other

• Chestnut tree leaves signifying links to others

We have a couple of original antique wedding domes available at ShopCurious. These are beautiful pieces of history and would make a totally unique and very romantic wedding gift. Alternatively, you might simply want to invest in one as a curiously collectable heirloom for future generations, or to decorate your abode in opulent Victorian style? Perhaps you're even inspired enough to make your own modern day version. Are you?