When most people think of Valentine's Day they think of celebrating romantic love. But even the ancient Greeks recognized love comes in different types, including love of family (storge) and friends (philia).
Valentine's Day's origins aren't related to romance, either — instead its roots are a Christian Feast Day, but an annual religious holiday dedicated to St. Valentine.
Many stories and legends surround the various martyrs named Valentine, but it's believed the day was named for a third-century priest who was jailed for ministering to Christians persecuted by the Roman Empire. Later legends link the holiday to love. One St. Valentine performed weddings for Christian soldiers, which was especially scandalous because the Roman emperor had banned them from marrying.
In the 18th century, Valentine's Day bloomed into the traditions celebrated today. Couples declared their love for each other through flowers, confections and handmade greeting cards otherwise known as valentines.
Whether you're celebrating a new or vintage romance, your love of family, or showing your best friends how much you care, consider these adventurous, creative and perhaps even unusual suggestions.
Pull up a chair and hold on to your hat as you delve into the history of some of Spokane's past couples. These tales may delight, shock and raise shivers as you're guided through a pictorial history. Afterward, indulge in a ghost hunt and attempt to locate traces of the spirits from one of the stories.
"Corbin Mansion is the site of one of our really cruel, terrible love affairs," says tour leader Chet Caskey, a local historian and ghostologist.
Feb. 9 from 7-9:30 pm, $22, Corbin Art Center, 507 W. Seventh Ave., spokanerec.org
A swinging hammer and smashing glass. Debris underfoot, delivering a satisfying crunch with every step. Cheaper than an hour of professional couple's therapy, and without the normal flinching when you've accidentally broken something you really like. At first glance, this is a strange suggestion for some Valentine fun, but Rage Xscape offers a couples package. So if you and your love would relish some guilt-free destruction, or you want to grab your best friend for some heartbreak therapy, give it a try.
Open Thu-Sun from noon-10 pm, $65/two, Rage Xscape, 122 S. Division St., ragexscape.com
Three... two... one... Blast off!
Prepare for an adventure to save humanity from a deadly pathogen. You and your team are on a mission to an abandoned space station that you'll need to stabilize before searching for an antiserum that could save the human race. But you only have 75 minutes to find it, and the clock is ticking.
Open Thu-Tue, times vary, $38/person, Think Tank Escape Rooms, 327 W. Third Ave., thinktankescaperooms.com
Take a break from plucking flower petals and instead make a unique bouquet. Turn book pages into roses (a great present for a bookworm), and assemble your bouquet while enjoying some hot cocoa.
"[It's a] pretty casual, fun space for people to come in and hang out and do some crafting," says Olivia Cretella, Coeur d'Alene Library's adult programming specialist.
Feb. 14 at 1 pm, Free, Coeur d'Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave., cdalibrary.org
Savor dinner, a live show and a dancing lesson during an ideal romantic evening or a playful event with friends. Chefs from Feast World Kitchen prepare tapas to tingle your taste buds. The Spokane Symphony accompanies Sandor and Parissa, dancers known from appearances on Dancing with the Stars, as they demonstrate their tango skills. After the concert grab your partner and learn to tango with instruction from the dancers themselves.
Feb. 14 at 6 pm, $99-$145, The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague Ave, foxtheaterspokane.org
Let your creativity flow into your hands as you wrap glass in wire and create a piece of art. Go with friends or make some new ones in this class. Whether you keep the finished piece for yourself or gift it, there's nothing like creating something from scratch, in this case, a tree made from recycled glass and wire.
"It's absolutely a blast," says instructor Amy Gurel.
Feb. 14 from 11 am-2 pm and Feb. 17 from 12:30-3:30 pm, $75, Corbin Art Center, 507 W. Seventh Ave., spokanerec.org
Enjoy the rush of crisp pine-scented air, the slide of snow under your skis, the sparkle of stars and a nearly full moon. Whether you go solo or with friends, this is an outdoor adventure (previous cross-country experience is recommended) to fill the senses. After exploring the woods you're treated to a fireplace and homemade dinner by Greenbluff Fresh Catering.
"If you're lucky, you get a really good moon. The weather doesn't always cooperate, so the moon is never promised, but it's hoped for," says Andy Fuzak, outdoor recreation program supervisor.
Feb. 24 from 6-9 pm, $79, Mount Spokane State Park, Selkirk Nordic Lodge, spokanerec.org ♦