WITH less than a week to go to Valentine's Day, you need to be thinking about how you will celebrate this special day in the calendar.

If you haven't already made plans for February 14, now is the time to book that special meal, night out or evening in.

Remember that local restaurants and hotels will be hosting special Valentine's Day meals - and you need to book before it's too late and everywhere is full!

Even buying a Valentine card is a task to be sorted out quickly so you can choose the right one for the special person in your life.

Huddersfield may not, at first thought, be the most romantic place in the world - but there are plenty of people living here who intend to celebrate.

Local florists, card shops, hotels and restaurants are reporting a brisk trade in orders and bookings. Bouquets, red roses and special arrangements are all being ordered at local florist shops.

Today Valentine's Day is one of the biggest dates in the annual calendar - the origins of this special day were also marked all through the various ages of history.

Although it is celebrated as a lovers' holiday today, with the giving of chocolates, flowers, or other gifts between couples in love, many believe it originated in fifth Century Rome as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop.

For 800 years prior to the establishment of Valentine's Day, the Romans had practiced a pagan celebration in mid-February commemorating young men's rite of passage to the god Lupercus.

The celebration featured a lottery in which young men would draw the names of teenage girls from a box. The girl assigned to each young man in that manner would be his sexual companion during the remaining year.

In an effort to do away with the pagan festival, Pope Gelasius ordered a slight change in the lottery. Instead of the names of young women, the box would contain the names of saints. Both men and women were allowed to draw from the box, and the game was to emulate the ways of the saint they drew during the rest of the year.

Needless to say, many of the young Roman men were not too pleased with the rule changes.

Although the lottery for women had been banned by the church, the mid-February holiday in commemoration of St. Valentine was still used by Roman men to seek the affection of women. It became a tradition for the men to give the ones they admired handwritten messages of affection, containing Valentine's name.

The first Valentine card grew out of this practice. The first true Valentine card was sent in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife. He was however unfortunately imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time.

Cupid, who is another symbol of the holiday, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid often appears on Valentine cards

Today's Valentine cards are very much a mixed bunch - some are very romantic with verses from the heart while others take a much more light hearted view of the occasion.

Others are even quite rude and don't quite convey the true message of love.

When it comes to flowers, the red rose is the original sign of true love but florists are quite happy to use any flowers to create bouquets and floral gifts.

If you're thinking of booking a table for two for Valentine's Day evening, you'll be pleased to know that many local restaurants go to a great deal of trouble to make it an evening to remember.

With special menus, all based on a love theme, they often offer special deals with wine for couples to enjoy with their meal.

Often the desserts on this occasion will be based on a chocolate theme - often associated with gift ideas for your valentine!

Luxury chocolates are a great idea as a gift for your valentine - although make sure he or she is not starting a diet!

Whatever you do this February 14, enjoy yourself and remember it's one of the most special days of the year.