Honestly? I have no idea. Having written about the subject ad nauseum over the years, I’m at risk of being repetitive. Therefore, I’m unsure how to address Valentine’s Day 2026, much less love in general. After all, what do I know? Nothin’ much, but I’ll bet some of you know what I did to find out. Uh huh. I asked the Google.

Question: “Which animal is often associated with Valentine’s Day as a symbol of love?” (hint: in my house, it’s dogs.) 

Answer: “Doves were associated with love and peace in Greco-Roman cultures, where they were sacred to Aphrodite/Venus. Cultural significance: As symbols of fidelity and devotion, doves are often depicted in art and literature as representations of enduring love.” 

I did not know that.

Why then, when I think of animals and symbols of love, do I always think of Pepé Le Pew, the animated character from the old Warner Bros “Looney Toons” and “Merrie Melodies,” and who was first introduced in 1945?

Answer: “Depicted as an anthropomorphic, French, striped skunk, Pepé is constantly in search of love and romance, but his offensive odor typically causes other characters to run away from him.”—Wikipedia

Wondering whatever became of him, I read more. 

“Pepé Le Pew has been criticized for portraying the pursuit and harassment of unwilling female characters as comedy, with his behavior often interpreted as stalking or implying sexual assault.” Who knew?

Delving further, I learned that “his exaggerated accent, mannerisms, and romantic behavior have also been criticized for reinforcing national and cultural stereotypes of French men as overly amorous and sexually aggressive.” 

Oh my.

Wondering where the connection to Pepé and Valentine’s Day began, I went back to my computer. 

Answer: “Skunk mating season coincides with Valentine’s Day (ah ha!), typically running from February through March. During this time, male skunks actively search for mates, increasing the likelihood of seeing them or smelling their spray as they travel miles to find partners. Females may spray to reject suitors, leading to increased odor.” 

Sounds about right.

Weird factoid: Don’t ask me why, but I have always kinda liked the smell that emanates from skunks. And it has always reminded me of home. Hey! I said it was weird. And my dog lights up like a Christmas tree at the first aromatic whiff, so she’s gonna be in pig heaven for a while.

Speaking of my dog, she doesn’t know it yet, but I’ve chosen Gidget to be my special girl this year. After all, there is nothing like the eternal connection of “a boy and his dog.” While I may have left boyhood far behind, my love for canines grows and lingers, not unlike the effluvia of Monsieur Le Pew, which hangs in the air at this time of year.

And this: while scanning the latest edition of the River Reporter for Valentine’s Day info, I read that Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced the dates for Free Fishing Days in New York this year. In addition, “freshwater fishing license is waived on February 14-15.” Not sure what the connection is here (although who doesn’t love to fish?), but feel free to drop a line, if you can find a hole in the ice. 

Thirsty for more, I did a quick search for little-known facts about what many believe is simply a “Hallmark holiday,” but discovered that the roots of Valentine’s Day are far older than the card company.

Question: When did it all begin?

Answer: “Valentine’s Day became celebrated as a day of romance around the 14th century. Although Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as Valentine’s Day toward the end of the fifth century, it wasn’t until around the 14th century that it became associated with romance,” per History.com.

Question: Where does the expression “wear your heart on your sleeve” come from?

Answer: “Today, wearing one’s heart ‘on their sleeve’ is a common idiom for openly expressing true emotions. But there are many stories on how this phrase came to be,” according to Smithsonian Magazine. 

“One legend tells of men drawing names at a Roman festival to determine their suitor for the year, wearing her name on their sleeve throughout the event. Another suggests that knights dedicated their jousting matches to a lady of the court, tying one of her belongings—like a handkerchief—to their arm as a symbol of defending her honor.” Hmm. 

Additional things that I did not know: A People Magazine article I stumbled across informed me that “while the romantic holiday is celebrated all around the world, there are four American towns called ‘Valentine’”—in Nebraska, Arizona, Virginia (though with an “s” at the end) and Texas—and that “each has a unique way of honoring their namesake.”  

“For example,” the article states, “Valentine, NE, is decorated with painted hearts on the sidewalks and candy-red street signs. As the self-proclaimed ‘Heart City,’ some restaurants even offer heart-shaped steaks.” Ironically, February is also recognized as American Heart Month. You do the math.

Clearly, I have more to learn about Valentine’s Day, including the saint that began it all, the infamous “massacre” that I know little of, and a number of films devoted to the subject. In closing, I’ll share that “according to the National Retail Federation, consumers are expected to spend a record $27.5 billion on Valentine’s Day, averaging $188.81 per person. 

Wow, man. I’m sure that doesn’t apply to me. However, I also read somewhere that “billions of dollars are spent on Valentine’s Day gifts for pets.” Well, that makes sense. In my humble opinion.

Fun Fact: “What’s Love Got to Do with It” is a song written by Graham Lyle and Terry Britten, and recorded by Tina Turner for her fifth studio album, “Private Dancer.” Capitol Records released it as a single in May 1984 and it eventually became Turner’s biggest-selling single.

Ask the Google: What is the meaning of “ad nauseum”?

Answer: “To the point of nausea,” and used to describe something “repeated so excessively that it becomes sickening or boring.”