Valentine's Day Facts
Couples from around the world celebrate Valentine’s Day every February 14th. Hundreds of years of history have enriched this holiday to make it what it is today. Delve into these captivating facts to learn more about the most romantic day of the year!
1) The tradition of giving a box of chocolates started in the 19th century by Richard Cadbury. The box was, as you might guess, in the shape of a heart. Today, nearly 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are sold each year.
2) Some historians believe Valentine’s Day has its origins in an ancient Pagan fertility festival called “Lupercalia.” Animals were sacrificed and men would then smack women with the hides to encourage fertility.
3) Cupid’s origins can be traced back to 700 BC to Eros, the Greek god of love. Later, around 300 BC, the Romans changed Eros into the image of a boy with bow and arrow. By the 19th century the charming cherub became associated with Valentine’s Day due to his power to make people fall in love.
4) Nearly 6 million couples get engaged on Valentine’s Day every year!
5) Valentine’s Day is a profitable business today. Nearly $28 billion was spent in 2020 – including $2.4 billion on just candy! Compared to women, men typically spend 3 times more for Valentine’s Day expenses.
6) We love out pets, too! In 2020 almost 28 million households gave Valentine’s gifts to their dogs while about 17 million gave a gift to their cats.
7) Those heart-shaped conversation candies with sentimental messages on them started in 1866. The candies were larger back then and with longer phrases like: "How long shall I have to wait? Please be considerate."
8) In Japan, the women give men the chocolate. The quality of the chocolate given reflects the woman’s true feelings.
9) The first Valentine was a poem written in 1415 by a French medieval Duke named Charles. He was 21 and wrote the poem to his wife while imprisoned in the Tower of London. We can perhaps all relate to one of the lines in the poem: “I am already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine.”
10) The tradition of giving flowers dates to the 17th century during the Victorian Era with red roses, of course, symbolizing passionate love.
"Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies."
— Aristotle