Fun Facts about Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day was named after St. Valentine, a Roman priest who was executed on February 14th.

Approximately 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year.

Red roses are the most popular flower given on Valentine’s Day, symbolizing love and passion.

In the Middle Ages, men and women drew names from a bowl to determine their Valentine.

More than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold for Valentine’s Day.

In Finland, Valentine’s Day is called Friendship Day and is all about celebrating friendships.

The average amount spent on Valentine’s Day gifts per person is around $162.

California produces about 60% of American roses, making it the flower capital of the United States.

In Japan, Valentine’s Day is traditionally celebrated by women giving chocolates to men.

On Valentine’s Day in South Korea, men are the ones who receive gifts from women.

The heart shape we commonly associate with love is believed to have originated from the shape of an ancient contraceptive plant seed.

More than 20% of people send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.

February 14th is also International Book Giving Day.

The phrase wearing your heart on your sleeve comes from medieval times when young people would draw a name from a bowl and wear it on their sleeve for a week, signaling their availability for courtship.

In the United States, approximately 9 million people buy their pets a Valentine’s Day gift.

Fun Facts about Valentine’s Day part 2

Teachers receive the most Valentine’s Day cards, followed by children, mothers, and wives.

The oldest known Valentine’s Day card dates back to the 1400s and is kept at the British Museum.

In Wales, there is a tradition of giving love spoons made of wood as Valentine’s Day gifts.

Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone on Valentine’s Day in 1876.

More than 50% of all Valentine’s Day cards are purchased in the six days leading up to the holiday.

In ancient Rome, men hit women with the hides of sacrificed goats in hopes of increasing fertility.

Richard Cadbury was the first to produce a heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day in the late 1800s.

Valentine’s Day is the second-largest card-sending holiday, behind Christmas.

More than 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged worldwide.

In Finland, people often celebrate Valentine’s Day by sending humorous cards to friends and family.

In 19th-century England, people believed that the first person they saw on Valentine’s Day would be their future spouse.

On Valentine’s Day, Americans spend approximately $13.2 billion on flowers, cards, and chocolates.

The heart shape became a symbol of love and romance in the 14th century, thanks to French and Italian artists.

In Denmark, Valentine’s Day is celebrated by men sending gaekkebrev, a joking letter with a funny poem.

15% of American women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.

In the Philippines, Valentine’s Day is a popular day for mass wedding ceremonies, and thousands of couples tie the knot.

In ancient Rome, men would sacrifice a goat and a dog and then whip women with the hides to improve their fertility.

The city of Verona in Italy, where Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was set, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet on Valentine’s Day.

Over 4,000 marriage proposals are made on Valentine’s Day each year.

In France, it is a tradition to give a gift in the shape of a key on Valentine’s Day. This is considered a symbol of unlocking someone’s heart.

The chocolate industry alone generates over $21.7 billion in revenue for Valentine’s Day.

In Finland, Valentine’s Day is not just for couples but also for friends and family.

The oldest surviving love poem, written on a clay tablet, goes back to 2030 BC and was addressed to a woman named Shu-Sin.

In South Africa, it is a tradition to wear the color red on Valentine’s Day to show support for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

In the United States, around 64% of men do not make advance plans for Valentine’s Day.

In the Middle Ages, people believed that the first unmarried person of the opposite sex they met on Valentine’s Day would become their future spouse.

In Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, celebrating Valentine’s Day is considered against their religious beliefs and is banned.

The Italian city of Verona, where Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine’s Day.

The heart symbol was first associated with love in the 14th century, thanks to a French clergyman named Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.

In Guatemala, Valentine’s Day is not only about romantic love but also about expressing love and gratitude to friends and family.