Facts about Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day (Saint Valentine's Day) is an occasion celebrated on February 14. It is thought about to be a traditional day on which people express their love for each other by different means. They share Valentine's cards, present flowers, or offer chocolates.

There is no clear indication how Valentine’s Day got its name. There were plenty of Christians with name Valentine. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, at least three Saint Valentines are mentioned who are associated with 14 February. One of them is described as a priest at Rome, another as a Bishop of Interamna (now Terni in France) & the other lived & died in Africa.

The Valentine that most specialists think is the actual recalled on St. Valentine's Day was a Roman. He was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity.

In England, the Romans, had taken over the country, and introduced a fertility festival every February 14. After the Romans left England, the ritual was abolished by Pope Gelsius and established St. Valentine's Day as a celebration of love in 496 A.D.

In Britain, they spend around a lot of money on cards, flowers, chocolates & other gifts for Valentine's Day. Historically, it was seen that in the past, gifts were sent anonymously, but nowadays they frequently make it clear who is sending each 'Valentine'.

In the past, spring begins on St Valentine's Day (February 14th). It is the day on which birds selected their mates. In parts of Sussex, Valentine’s Day was called 'the Birds' Wedding Day'.

There are many other traditions and superstitions associated with Valentine's Day. Some believe that the first man an unmarried woman saw on the Valentine’s Day would be her husband in future or if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day; her husband would be a sailor. If the bird is sparrow then her husband would be a poor man or so.

In the Middle era, young men and women draw out names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. The names drawn out would be worn by them on their arms for one week.

In Wales wooden love spoons are carved and are gifted on Valentine’s Day.

These are a few random stats associated with Valentine’s Day.

On Valentine’s Day, 15% of U.S. women send flowers to themselves.
On Valentine’s 73% of people who buy flowers for are men, while only 27 percent are women.
On Valentine's Day, approximately 1 billion cards are exchanged every year. Valentine’s Day is the largest selling seasonal card other than Christmas Day.
3% of pet owners give Valentine's Day gifts to their pets.

Alexander Graham Bell patented his telephone on Valentine's Day, 1876.

Cupid is considered as the symbol of Valentine’s Day. It is associated with Valentine’s Day as he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. It is believed that cupid uses magic arrows for love creation.
Hallmark, a famous card brand has over a range of 1330 different cards for Valentine's Day specially.

In Victorian times it was considered as a symbol of bad luck to sign a Valentine's Day card.

Teachers also receive a majority of Valentine's Day cards, gifted by children, mothers, wives, and then, sweethearts.

The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. That is why it is shared and gifted on Valentine’s Day due to its romantic value. Red color itself is considered as the color of romance.