With St Valentine’s Day, 14 February, falling on Sunday this year, many places are hosting events on Saturday evening, the 13th.

The Botleigh Grange Hotel has a romantic three-course ‘Valentines Dinner’ with entertainment for £29.50 per person – see their website for more information.

The Shamblehurst Barn, Old Shamblehurst Lane, is offering a three-course meal for £12.00/£13.00, in a romantically-themed setting. They say booking is essential and advise phoning on 01489 787617 to make a reservation.

The Barleycorn in Lower Northam Road is also offering a meal for valentines on the Saturday evening, from 8.00-10.00pm, and priced at about £10 for two courses, and holding a disco and karaoke on Sunday. A £5.00 deposit will secure a table for Saturday – they say to pop into the pub to book – and the event on Sunday which starts at 8.00pm is free.

If you’re looking for cards and gifts, all the usual card stockists in Hedge End have ample and ‘Thoughts’, the specialist card and gift shop in Lower Northam Road is festooned with red.

‘Thoughts’ owner, Diane Firth, says, ‘We’re a family firm and able to offer the personal touch, and have been very busy in the past week.’

Gents – Hedge End Florists at Hollygrove Farm, Upper Northam Drive, and The Flower Garden in Upper Northam Road are both ready and waiting for your orders! At Hollygrove Farm you can send teddy bears along with your roses, and bouquets can be pre-ordered or made up while you wait (including on Sunday) – call on 023 8047 4964 for more information.

The Flower Garden is also offering roses in bouquets or as single stems , and you can even have a name or a message printed on a fresh rose – ‘Be my Valentine’, ‘I love you’, or be very brave with, ‘Will you marry me?’ The Flower Garden will be open this Sunday 8.30am-2.00pm and will close later than usual at 5.00pm on Saturday.

Ladies – it’s always tricky finding that perfect something for the other half, but if the way to a man’s heart really is through his stomach Greggs is selling a St Valentine’s Day range. They have cup-cakes decorated with hearts and novelty rings, heart-shaped biscuits and romantically decorated chocolate sponges.

And if you fancy trying your hand at baking that way to his heart ... The Cake and Sugarcraft Centre stocks romance-themed shaped cutters and decorations.

Owner, Janice Barfoot, comments, ‘We’ve had a lot of people in buying red cake decorations in the last couple of weeks – red glitter and heart-shapes especially.’

Above is a selection of ways in which Hedge Enders can mark St Valentine’s Day and you can find details for the venues and businesses mentioned in Hedgeendpeople’s business section.

And if you’re holding an event or have a suggestion for a gift why not post your details here  too! It’s free to register!

Oh, and ladies, if you’re still searching for that special ‘other’ bear in mind that tradition says that if a woman sees a robin flying overhead on St Valentine's Day she’ll marry a sailor, if she sees a sparrow her  husband will be poor but they’ll be very happy.  And if it’s a goldfinch up in the sky, she will marry a millionaire...

Photo from Flickr, by jver64