There is no definitive answer as to how St. Valentine's Day came about. Suppositions range from the truly romantic to the absolute bizarre - who's up for being slapped with a strip of blood-dipped goat hide?

Centuries later, it doesn't much matter how or why there is a Valentine's Day, just that it's a day to express our love, whether it's romantic, familial, friendship or even love of self.We asked readers to share some of their most memorable Valentine's moments. Here's what they had to say.Turning 50 was a turning pointGeralyn Hartman of Jim Thorpe always wanted to become a grandmother."I became a mother for the first time, to my beautiful and loving daughter, and then two years later, I became a mother for the second time to my wonderful, caring son. As they grew up into mature adults and found the loves of their lives, I couldn't help but to become a mom-mom for the first time. I have always loved my children and always thought it would be so neat to have a grandchild, especially a granddaughter born on Valentine's Day. Five years ago, (when Geralyn was 50) my daughter, being due on or around Feb. 8, went into labor on a Monday morning, Feb. 13, and delivered my very first grandbaby, Charlotte Lou, on Tuesday, Feb. 14. It was the happiest day of my life. The ironic thing about this is I went into labor on a Monday the 13th (except it was the month of May, and delivered my first born, Jenyne Marie on a Tuesday, the 14th, 30 years before that. The bond between myself as a mom-mom to now five grandchildren with my daughter expecting her third any day, has brought so much happiness into our lives. I truly have been blessed with each of my children having three children apiece, and they are the little loves of my life."Wasn't meant to be - or was it?Audrey Wargo of Penn Forest Township and her boyfriend, Joe Ryncavage, were on a cruise."At the first port stop, we went to the specified jewelry store for the freebies that were offered. I went on to the back of the store for my gifts while he looked around. He called for me to come to the front of the store. 'Here honey, try this on'."He handed her a ring - yellow gold, incredible deep indigo emerald cut tanzanite, surrounded by diamonds."I was shaking as I put it on, and when I raised my hand to gaze at it, everyone in the store gasped in awe!!! Well, after we discussed it, no, I didn't keep that one, because at every port after that we continued the elusive search for something a little more perfect, and that also incorporated my birthstone," says Audrey."Fast forward to January. I like to surf eBay and I came across a unique ring - beautiful vintage setting, a center stone tanzanite surrounded by my birthstone and diamonds! So I linked it to my Facebook page as a 'someday I'd like this' wish. A few hours later I went on to eBay to wistfully look at it again, and oh no! It was gone. Oh well. Not meant to be."Valentine's morning, my guy hands me this generic shipping box," says Audrey. "At this point I'm expecting garden shears or jumper cables, so imagine my astonishment when, in this crappy box, was the beautiful vintage ring I saw on eBay!"Yeah, he's a good man."Love blooms along with the lilacsWhen Theresa Keiser of Lehighton was 18 years old, she had quit school and had gotten a full-time job. Not long after, she ended up in the hospital with a pain in her stomach."I was told I couldn't have any kids," says Theresa, "that I had endometriosis from when I was born with a tumor."She remained in the hospital for five days. Since she didn't have a car at the time, she and her boyfriend were walking home from the hospital. It was the day before Valentine's Day, she recalls. About a block from where she was living, they passed a lilac bush that she imagined would be spectacular in bloom. And she told her boyfriend how much she loved lilacs. He told her he used to work for the man who owned that property, and had cut his law and trimmed his bushes, including that particular lilac bush.Having been ill and still not feeling well, they stopped along the way and spoke about their future, including the sad news she had received in the hospital.A few months later, in June, she and her boyfriend were coming back to her apartment. At the door he told her to go on ahead of him, that he had to go get something."When I opened the door, the entire apartment was laced with lilacs, everywhere I looked. They hung from the ceiling, they were in the kitchen sink, on the bed. They were everywhere. I collected them, and when I got to the bathroom, where they were also everywhere, there was a cute little card. Inside the card he wrote 'It took a lifetime for me to find you, and it didn't have to multiply.' It was his way of telling me that it was OK that I couldn't have children."Theresa says despite being so down about her diagnosis, she knew she had found her soul mate.Allen proposed in October and they were married the following June.On June 21 they will celebrate their 31st anniversary.Gift from the heart - and the feetCandy Knappenberger's special Valentine's Day memory occurred back in 2001."It was after our second daughter, Dortie-Mae, was born. Times were a little tough, not much money to waste. And I just couldn't imagine not giving my husband something for Valentine's Day from our girls. It was hard. What could I do that wouldn't cost anything to give him?"After a few days, Candy remembered seeing someone with a shirt that had their children's footprints on it."I thought 'Gee, I have fabric paint. But, do I have a T-shirt?' While my husband was at work one night, I went through his dresser to see if he had any new or close to new shirts. And amazingly enough there was one. I went to the dining room table with the shirt, paint, wipes and daughters and started my project. I did my oldest daughter Abby-Rae's feet first. She giggled when I put the paint on her feet. She thought it was funny because I lifted her up and slowly put her feet on the shirt. I thought 'Hmmm, not too bad! OK. Now the baby Dortie-Mae.' I put the paint on her little pink feet and she curled her little toes. I guess she wasn't as excited as her big sister, but she didn't cry. I stood her up and carefully placed her feet by her big sister's. Then I wrote 'My daughters walk all over me!!'"My husband still has the shirt, and he will never let it go. He said he loves it, and he has always said he loves the handmade gifts from us most of all! Remember money can't buy you LOVE!"More commentsTony Frantz: Quit smoking 6 years ago on Valentine's DayJoe Nihen: My parents were married on Valentine's Day in 1946, but I wasn't there.Kari Jo Gerstenberger: I saw James for the first time face to face on Feb. 13, and we had our first 'real' date after months of talking. After dinner on Feb. 14, he surprised me with a promise ring and asked me to marry him.Elaine Runyon: I had my first date with Eliot on Valentine's Day in '85. It was on a Thursday and he sent red roses with a card that said, "Just another Thursday." That is, because it was what I told him when he asked me to go out on a date on Valentine's Day. Our date was at Coconuts in Manville, I wanted to see if I had the winning ticket for a trip to the Caribbean. Needless to say the rest is history. I lost on the trip and gained a husband. We were engaged three years later on Valentine's Day.