Valentine’s Day, which has a long history, is celebrated in different ways around the world.
February 14th is just a short time away, a day of romantic moments all over the world and various discussions due to forgetful partners. St. Valentine’s Day, which dates back to ancient times and has long been the world’s special day, is finally here. But did you know that there are some strange details about this interesting day, which is now the center of a huge economic industry? Here are 15 interesting facts about Valentine’s Day that you probably have never heard before.
The origins of Valentine’s Day date back to Ancient Rome
And it was celebrated for 3 days long before today! However, the symbol of this special day back then was not red roses, but goats and dogs sacrificed in the hope of increasing fertility! Yes, in Ancient Rome, Valentine’s Day was celebrated between February 13th and 15th as the Feast of Lupercalia and it was indeed a very interesting scene.
Unknown who St. Valentine is
According to some accounts in the Catholic world, St. Valentine’s Day is celebrated in honor of a priest and doctor named Valentine who was killed by the Roman emperor in 270 AD. However, other historical references make reference to different people named Valentine throughout history. In short, there is no definitive information about who St. Valentine was.
According to Christian belief, St. Valentine is the patron saint of love, happy marriages, beekeepers, travelers and the sick.
Valentine’s Day was “romanticized” by the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer
The poet, who lived between 1340 and 1400, was the author of the first text to associate St. Valentine’s Day with romantic love.
The first Valentine’s Day note was sent in 1477
The owner of the note was a man named Charles d’Orléans. However, according to some experts, this first note was not written to a specific person. Rather, it was a kind of poem written in line with court traditions.
The first Valentine’s Day card was printed in 1797
Heart-shaped chocolate boxes appeared on Valentine’s Day in 1861
The owner of this innovative idea was the UK-based chocolate manufacturer Cadbury.
The number of greeting cards sent on Valentine’s Day is more than the number of cards sent on all other special occasions
On February 14th, 2020, $27.4 billion was spent in the US alone
Sweets are the most popular gift on Valentine’s Day
Second on the list are greeting cards. Third place goes to flowers. Jewelry, which is often associated with Valentine’s Day, is not a very popular gift for February 14. For example, only 10 percent of women in the United States receive jewelry on Valentine’s Day.
According to some data, 6 million people get engaged every Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is celebrated in different ways around the world
Philippines has the highest number of couples getting married on February 14
Of course, some couples choose this special day as their wedding date. However, the fact that mass weddings, where the government marries couples who cannot afford it, are usually held on February 14th is also a factor in the emergence of this interesting statistic.
Victorians sent insulting cards to “unwanted suitors”
This was among the clearest and most popular ways of leaving a love unrequited in those years.
English poet and playwright William Shakespeare helped popularize Valentine’s Day gifts
The fact that this great literary figure included Valentine’s Day in some of his works made February 14th a day for exchanging gifts, especially among the rich and noble classes of Europe.
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