[caption id="attachment_2120" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Here&#39;s either an artsy photo or a poor one. It&#39;s all in the eye of the beholder."]<a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/dsc08979.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2120" title="Wine Glasses " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/dsc08979.jpg?w=225" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>[/caption]

The best way to celebrate February 14th? Well, I plan to drink a full bodied red wine.  I am also not celebrating Valentine's Day.  Nope not me. Not because I don't have a boyfriend (I don't). Not because I hate the idea of groveling at the feet of Hallmark (I do). But because I see no reason to now that I live in Bulgaria.

I'd much rather drink a glass (or two) of red wine and toast Dionysus.  I'd rather celebrate the Bulgarian saint, St. Trifon, who is the patron saint of wine-makers.  If you're a long time, devoted reader you may remember the post I wrote on this subject <a href="http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2009/02/12/st-trifon-dionysus-feb-14th/">last year</a>. If not, I'll bring you up to speed right now.

No Valentine's Day.  Instead, the Bulgarians celebrate wine. The ancient Thracians, who honored the god Dionysus in this way and today the day vineyard owners cut their grape vines for the new year and then they drink wine.  Not bad but I am neither Thracian nor a vineyard owner.

So what's a girl to do? Well, I am not going let this stop me. Instead, I'll be drinking a nice glass of Bulgarian wine at home. I'd encourage you to do the same.