Roses are red

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue… there’s some Pureshore Jewellery that’s just perfect for you!

Valentine’s Day… whether you agree with the sentiment or not, it’s very hard to sidestep these days. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic, an outright cynic or something in between (a don’t make a fuss but don’t you dare forget to buy me a card type!), talk of Valentines is a sign that we are leaving behind the blues of January and stepping into the pink red haze that is February. The evenings are getting a little longer and you may just see some blossom emerging in the warmth of the winter sunshine, so it can’t all be bad! 

For many, February is the month for heading to hotter climes to escape the chilly weather. Not something that the Agapornis bird, affectionately known as the Lovebird, needs to worry about; native to sunny Madagascar and given the name due to their monogamous pairing they are often seen sitting together for long periods of time in the sunshine. What most of us wouldn’t give to be sitting in the sunshine right now!

While February Valentine’s Day in the UK is usually a chilly affair, other parts of the world have a heartwarming way of celebrating it – one I really love is El Dia de los Enamorados (day of lovers) or Dia del Amor y la Amistad (day of love and friendship) in South America (where incidentally it’s summer just now). Not only do couples exchange gifts on this day but it is also a time for showing love and gratitude to friends too. What a great way to let family and friends how much they mean to us, particularly recently when for many of us, they are the people that have got us through the turbulence of the last couple of years.

As a Shakespeare lover and having a name influenced by ‘Twelfth Night’, I was surprised recently to learn about ‘Letters to Juliet’, a Valentine’s tradition that has also inspired a movie. If you happen to visit Verona, setting for the tragic love story Romeo and Juliet, or even just want some sage love advice from the comfort of your living room, you can write a letter to the fictional Juliet in Verona, Italy, and the Secretaries of Juliet (kind volunteers) will write back to you with the advice that you have asked for (just beware that while you will get a response eventually; if it’s something more time pressing, you might be better asking a friend or family member for their thoughts instead as the Secretaries have a lot of letters to get through!)

If you want to really spoil your Valentine, why not treat them to a beautiful piece of jewellery. A piece from Pureshore’s Ardour collection, with its topsy turvy heart, is the perfect gift at this time of year… although I’m told the other collections are equally coveted and would be well received as presents!