The heart is associated to Valentine’s Day as it is considered the source of all human emotions. The custom of drawing a heart shape is supposed to have come from early attempts to draw an organ that no one had seen. The symbol came on to become as a sign of love.
74 percent of Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Teachers receive the most Valentine’s.
Valentine’s Day is forth on the list for the holiday with the most candy sales behind Halloween, Easter, and Christmas.
The United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, France and Australia all celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Cupid was the symbol for the Roman God of Love.
Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine’s didn’t begin to appear until after 1400).
Over 1 Billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent (and I still don’t get one!). Surprisingly, Teachers receive the most, followed by children.
Lace, a fabric associated with valentines day, is so named after Love And Romance.
February 15th was the date of the Roman festival of Lupercalia - where young men held a lottery to decide which girl would be theirs.
During Medieval times, girls ate unusual foods on St. Valentine’s Day to have a dream of their future husband.
In the middle Ages, people believed that the first unmarried person of the opposite sex you met on the morning of
St. Valentine’s Day would become your spouse.
In the middle of the 17th century even married people took a Valentine - not always their legal other half!
Alexander Graham Bell applied for his patent on the telephone, on the Valentine’s Day, 1876.
In Wales, love spoons of wood were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes formed the favorite theme of decorations on the spoons, which together symbolized- “You unlock my heart!”
It wasn’t until 1537 that St. Valentine’s Day was declared an official holiday. England’s King Henry VIII declared February 14th a holiday in 1537 for the first time.
On February 14, 1779, the natives of Hawaii murdered Captain James Cook the great English explorer and navigator.
Some people believed that if a woman saw a robin-flying overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a sailor and if she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a very rich person.
The Taj Mahal at Agra, India is perhaps the most splendid gift of love. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beautiful wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Work on the Taj began in 1634 and continued for almost 22 years. It took the labor of 20,000 workers from all over India and Central Asia.
About 15% of women in the US send themselves flowers on Valentines.
Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.
In America, the pilgrims used to sent confections, such as sugar wafers, marzipan, sweetmeats and sugar plums, to their affianced. Lot of value was placed on these gifts because they included what was then a rare product, sugar.After the late 1800’s, beet sugar became widely used and more available, and sweet gifts continued to be cherished and enjoyed.
US Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide.
The first commercial Valentine’s Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A.Howland.
The first Valentine’s Day box of chocolates was introduced by Richard Cadbury in 1868.
Approximately 192 million cards are exchanged.
In England, the Romans, who had taken over the country, had introduced a pagan fertility festival held every February 14. After the Romans left England, Pope Gelsius, who established St. Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love in 496 A.D abolished the pagan ritual.
The average spend in the UK of Valentine’s Day Products is £65. Most of that goes on Perfumes and Fragrances.
In the Middle Ages young men and women drew the names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. They would wear this name pinned on their sleeves for one week. This was done so that it becomes easy for other people to know your true feelings. This was known as “to wear your heart on your sleeve”.