Written by David Vogel

Hello, I'm Will. For Valentine's Day, I am going to read you a story to celebrate this event. If you like Beanies, and good love stories, make yourself at home! Take off you shoes, find a place to sit-- and help yourself to some heart-shaped cookies and hot cocoa.

Here we go . . .

It was a cold, snowy day in February. The trees' branches, dead for the season, were being whipped around by the blustery, winter wind. Valentino, a young bear at the time, was fed up with the bleakness of the winter season.

There needs to be a holiday between New Year's Day and St. Patrick's day! he said to himself as he tromped through the freshly fallen snow. But what could it possibly be?

That night Valentino sat by himself in a large, empty, cold house. The fire in front of him was burning strongly, but he didn't feel its warmth. He couldn't get the thought of inventing a new holiday out of is mind! Instead of trying to shove it away, he began to ponder, once again, what the theme of his holiday should be.

There was already a holiday for dressing up in costumes, another for giving thanks, and another for giving gifts! There was one to stay up late, a holiday to hunt for gold under a rainbow, and even one to shoot fireworks in the dead of night!

"All the good ideas have already been taken!" he yelled out loud.

The sound of his voice echoed through the empty house, reminding him of how lonely he was. After thinking for a short while longer, Valentino fell asleep, and had a very interesting dream . . .

Valentino was sitting by his fire place, when suddenly a bear appeared in front of him! The ghost-bear was pink, with blotches of light maroon throughout his fur. He had a dark pink ribbon, trimmed with gold around his neck, and a fuzzy, light-pink nose.

"Who are you?" Valentino asked the vision, alarmed by its unwarned entrance.

"I am Smitten, the spirit of those who fall in love!" he answered. "I am going to send you a gift of sorts, one of the best gifts ever given to man- or Beanie- kind. This present will inspire you to create a new holiday, the one that you have been thinking about so much!"

"But, what will this gift be?" Valentino asked.

"If I were to tell you," the spirit said beginning to disappear, "It wouldn't be a real present!"

And as quickly as he had come, Smitten was soon gone again, leaving Valentino alone is his dark, empty house.

The next morning, Valentino awoke with a start. As he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, he remembered the dream he had.

Man, he thought to himself, I wonder what kind of rotten food I ate to deserve that sort of weird dream!

He quickly got ready for another day, and left his house. His first stop was at the local grocers. Valentino bought so many things, that he couldn't see where he was going. Suddenly . . .

WHAM!!!

He ran into someone else who also had too many items! Food flew everywhere, and Valentino and the other bear crashed to the floor. Valentino opened his eyes to see the most beautiful bear he had every seen! She was a deep maroon with a white heart sewn onto her chest.

It was love at first sight . . . They were soul mates!

Her name was Valentina, and she liked Valentino just as much as Valentino liked her!

After picking up the various food items which had rolled many different directions, Valentino timidly asked Valentina out for a date.

This was the first time Valentino had ever asked a girl out, but his nerves were quickly calmed when she answered "Yes!"

Later that night, after dinner at Beenie Weenie's and seeing the movie Gone With India the Tiger, the two went back to Valentino's house. As they sat in front of the fire, Valentino actually felt the warmth of the fire.

Valentino began going through all the events from the day, starting at the dream. It was then that he realized what Smitten's present was: true love. Valentina was the gift!

After saying their goodbyes, Valentino sat in front of the fire place, as he had done the previous night. The glowing embers from the fire cast a deep red shade across the room. Valentino suddenly had an inspiration. That day would be his new holiday, and he knew exactly what it would be! It would be a day set aside for sweethearts to tell each other how much they loved each other! A day to do something a little special, a day to fall in love. And he decided to call it Valentina and Valentino's Day, to celebrate the day that they met.

Follow-up: As the years went by, Valentina and Valentino's Day was shortened to Valentine's Day because it fit on Hallmark Cards better.

Valentino and Valentina fell deeper in love, and married a year after they first met (Valentina and Valentino's Day).

Later in the 1990's Ty Inc. recreated the founders of Valentine's Day into two Beanie Babies.

I hope you have enjoyed this Valentine's Day Classic.

*Note, the above story is purely fiction, except for the part about the Beanie Babies!

Written by David Vogel - Cyberbeanie Website