Valentine’s Day — 7 Surprising Facts You Should Know

How many Valentines are out there?

When I ask my friends about Valentine’s Day, they hardly know anything about it. Most of them go like this — there was a cool guy named Valentine who somehow died for love. So, happy valentine! cheers!

That’s the limit of their knowledge about the day associated with love and romance. I think it’s true for many people — even the cute couples who are obsessed with celebrating Valentine’s Day.

As we all know, 14 February, is celebrated as the most romantic day of each year. Young boys and girls go crazy when the date approaches. Millions get engaged. Many wish to get married on that particular day. Love and romance float in the air.

This craziness is mostly media-driven to create an incredible opportunity for doing business. Tons of chocolates, flowers, candy are sold all around the world. People buy gifts and invent new ways to amaze their partners. They reserve the best seats in the best restaurants, order the best foods, and talk love-things over dinner, holding each other’s hands.

But if you somehow get engaged or married on Valentine’s Day, does that guarantee that your conjugal life will be a great one? No one knows. People just go with the flow without thinking anything.

That said, I think this year will be a tough one for lovers because of the pandemic. Maybe, the in-person love-talk will turn into video dating or something like that. I believe - you lovely people will definitely find some way out because when it comes to love(sex) and money, people can go to any extent and find new unthinkable ways.

But before doing that, I think you should know some interesting facts about Valentine’s Day. I mean, if your partner asks you about it, you can impress her with the information.

So, let’s get started.

We Have More Than One Valentine

Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine. But, wait! Valentine was a common name in ancient Rome. You would be surprised to know that the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus.

One story says Valentine was a priest in 3rd century Rome at the time of Emperor Claudius II. When the emperor outlawed marriage for young men(as he believed that single men made better soldiers), Valentine defied Claudius and secretly performed marriages for young lovers. Eventually, he got caught by the emperor and put to death.

Later, at the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as Valentine’s Day to commemorate his death.

But, don’t be satisfied with this story because there is more. Many believed that it was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, from where Valentine’s Day originated. He was also beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome.

Another story goes like this — An imprisoned Valentine sent the first valentine greeting to the jailor’s young girl who visited him during the confinement. Before his death, he wrote her a letter signed ‘From your Valentine.’ Yes, it is the expression people use today.

Whatever the original story is — by the Middle Ages — Valentine became one of the most popular saints(I must say romantic figure) in England and France. And February 14 became Valentine’s Day to commemorate his death and celebrate love.

You Can Find Valentine’s Skull in Rome

If you visit the Basilica of Santa Mari in Cosmedin, Rome, you will find the skull of St. Valentine on display with flowers around it. The excavation of a catacomb near Rome in the early 1800s yielded the skull with some other relics.

You will be surprised to know that the relics and other body pieces of St. Valentine were distributed to reliquaries all across the globe. So, don’t be surprised if you find different parts of St. Valentine’s skeleton on display in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Scotland, England, and France.

Valentine’s Day Originated From a Pagan Festival ‘Lupercalia’

Some historians argue that Valentine’s Day originated from the pagan holiday Lupercalia that occurred for centuries in the middle of February. The festival was to promote and celebrate fertility where men would strip naked and sacrificed the goat and dog. Then they would slap their women with animal skin to bestow fertility for the coming year.

This festival was very popular and celebrated till 150 years after Christianity came into the Roman Empire.

Later in the fifth century, when Pope Gelasius came to power, he replaced this festival with a declaration that February 14 will be celebrated as a day of feasts to commemorate martyred Saint Valentine.

Eventually, Saint Valentine was associated with love and romance in Europe. Thus the world got its most romantic day.

Flower-Giving Tradition Got Popularity in the 17th Century

Flowers are quite inevitable to express love and affection. Today, giving red roses to your partner has become an obvious gesture. But the interesting fact is this flower-giving tradition got popularity back in the late 17th century.

When King Charles II of Sweden learned the language of flowers on a trip to Persia, he introduced the flower-giving tradition to Europe. Giving specific flowers became associated with specific meanings, such as — red roses with deep love.

During the Victorian era, flower-giving became a popular trend, and lovers started exchanging red roses on Valentine’s Day.

Millions of Couples Get Engaged on Valentine’s Day

Lovers always search for the perfect time to get engaged or married. They wish to pick a lovely date that will echo love and affection throughout their life. That’s why Valentine’s Day has become one of the best choices for them.

A survey revealed that nearly one in ten people in London and the West Midlands said they would like to propose to their significant other on Valentine’s day. Another survey found out that 40% of men think Valentine’s Day is the best day of the year to propose.

It’s true for every part of the world. People want to get engaged even married on Valentine’s day. It has become a craze for generations. Millions of people get engaged on 14 February to make it a special occasion in their life.

An Insane Amount of Money Spent on Jewelry

It is natural to exchange gifts on Valentine’s Day to show your counterpart how much he/she means to you. Gifts convey the thoughts that you sometimes cannot say directly. So, people try to buy the best gifts that express themselves better.

A recent article on NRF says that Americans are expected to spend $21.8 billion on gifts for partners, friends, pets, and more on the occasion of Valentine’s Day in 2021. And like each year, an insane amount of money will be spent on jewelry — diamond rings, necklaces, and more. It is to mention that in 2020, Americans spent $5.8 billion on jewelry alone as Valentine’s Day gifts.

Yes, people spend on other things including evening out, clothing, candy, and flowers. But the amount people spend on buying jewelry outshines everything.

08 Billion ‘Sweethearts’ Produced Each Year

Sweethearts are heart-shaped candies made by the New England Confectionery Company(Necco). The candy is also known as conversation hearts as each candy is printed with a message such as “Be Mine”, “Kiss Me”, “Call Me”, “Let’s Get Busy”, or “Miss You.” We all just love this candy, aren’t we?

Anyway, Sweethearts has a long history. In 1847, Boston pharmacist Oliver Chase invented a machine to cut lozenges from wafer candy and started a candy factory. Later, his brother, Daniel Chase, began printing texts/messages on candies in 1866. But the candy finally got its heart shape in 1901 to amaze Valentine’s Day sweethearts.

On Valentine’s Day, it can be found in everyone’s hand. Due to the huge demand, Necco company produces 8 billion sweethearts each year. Most of them are sold during the 6 weeks between January 01 and February 14, making Sweethearts the number one selling non-chocolate Valentine’s Day candy.

To Conclude

Valentine’s Day has gained global popularity, and now it is widely celebrated in every corner of the world as a day to express love. This love is not confined to only young ones or romantic couples — this love is for everyone — for the whole of humanity.

Whether you believe in celebrating Valentine’s Day or not, I hope you have enjoyed the facts and increased your knowledge to some extent.

I wish you a happy and lovely time ahead. Let’s spread love to all.

Thank you for reading.

If you want to read more of my writings, you may read the following one published in Hello, Love.