In Italy, Valentine's day is also known as the "florist and chocolate maker's day", because Italians took away the most "heartbeating" part of the thing, and kept the less romantic part.
In fact, in Italy it's not an occasion to "declare your love", it's for people who are already together, therefore much less romantic, since, imho when two people are together every day should be Valentine's day.
This means that usually couples go to a restaurant supposed to be romantic, but crowded with other "valentiners", and if the guy forgets to bring the regular flowers and chocolate box, it is a good reason for argument.
When I was a teenager I watched those american series and I was tremendously envious because girls received valentine cards from guys they didn't expect to be interested in them, and wished the same could happen to me, but of course, in Italy this couldn't happen, and I found the man of my life by other means.
(and we never "valentine" on valentine's day, because we have the rest of the year)