For a celebration that is so much about love, the origin of Valentine's Day is shrouded in mystery. No one really knows for sure who St. Valentine was or what he did to earn the day being named after him. But that doesn't keep us from celebrating the day with loved ones, sending Valentine's greetings of chocolate, flowers and even diamonds. There's also the longstanding tradition of notes and cards, with handwritten Valentines making their appearance after 1400 -- the oldest known Valentine being a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife, while he was serving time in prison.
The mother of the modern Valentine card is Esther A. Howland, who began making by hand and selling the first mass-marketed Valentines in America. Her love notes were made with lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as scrap. Today more than one billion Valentine cards are sent each year, with women purchasing about 85 percent of all Valentine's card sold.
Of course, a fair number of handmade cards with just the right sentiment are also delivered each February 14 and that includes those sent and received by your favorite country stars. The Boot plays Cupid and uncovers some of their thoughts on Valentine's Day, Valentine traditions and the ever-popular subject of love.
Miranda Lambert, who became Mrs. Blake Shelton last year: "I'm not a love song person. I always have one or two, but, you know, because I am in love, and I have been in love, whether my heart's broken at the time or not. I lean more toward the sad song and the cheatin' song and the revenge songs. I don't know why, just because I guess that's the songs that I love, that's the songs I want to write. But being married, too, makes me feel a whole new
