š 14 Fun Facts about Valentine’s Day
Valentineās Day is an annual festival to celebrate romance, love, friendship and admiration. Hereās some fun facts about Valentineās Day.
1. When did Valentineās Day start?
Thereās many stories to where Valentineās Day originated from, but one of the most popular stories dates back to 270 A.D during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius II. He prohibited marriage because he believed single men made better soldiersā¦
Bishop Valentine ignored the Emperorās wishes and continued to marry couples in secret until he was caught and thrown in jail for treason ā he was executed on the 14th February, which is why we celebrate St. Valentineās every year.
2. Itās second to Christmas.
Valentineās Day is the second most popular day of the year for sending cards with approximately 1 billion Valentineās day cards sent each year around the world. (Christmas being the first most popular).
3. Men buy more flowers than women!
Approximately 73% of those who buy flowers on Valentineās Day are men, while only 27% are women.
4. Weāve been sending cards since the 1400s.
The earliest record of a Valentineās Day card sent is by The Duke of Orleans who sent a card to his wife whilst he was a prisoner in the Tower of London in the 15th Century.
5. Hereās where this cliche comes from!
The official saying āWear your heart on your sleeveā came from a tradition in the Middle ages where men and women would draw names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine ā They would then wear the piece of paper on their sleeve for a week.
6. Itās celebrated in many different ways!
In Finland, they celebrate YstƤvƤnpƤivƤ on Valentineās Day which translates into āFriends Dayā. Itās all about celebrating with your friends rather than with your partner. Valentineās Day also doubles up as Singles Awareness Day on the 15th of February.
7. Even dogs and cats luck out!
At least 9 million people buy their pets a gift on Valentineās Day.
8. Japanese women do the bulk of the buying!
In Japan, only women buy gifts on Valentineās Day. Itās traditional for single women to reveal who they fancy by giving them a small chocolate gift.
9. Itās a very expensive deal in the US!
In the UK, people celebrating Valentineās Day spend on average Ā£28.45 each, while in the USA, the average person spends around $200 for the occasion.
10. Florists make shrewd moves.
Most florists will increase the cost of their flowers, especially roses by approximately 30% during the week leading up to Valentineās Day.
11. X marks the kiss!
Traditionally the āxā symbol we use to indicate a kiss is believed to have its origins in the medieval times- where individuals not allowed to write their names would write an āxā and then kiss it.
12. Heart-shaped boxes are massive in February.
More than 35 million boxes of heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold across Valentineās Day each year. Now thatās a lot of chocolate!
13. Teachers are well loved⦠who knew?
Hereās an interesting fact⦠Apparently, teachers always end up receiving the most Valentineās day cards.
14. Itās a big day for matrimony, too.
There are over 200,000 wedding proposals on Valentineās Day globally.
FAQs about Valentineās Day
Is Valentineās Day a bad thing?
Some people are against the celebration as they feel it puts a lot of pressure on people!
Is Valentineās Day banned anywhere?
Yes! Itās illegal to celebrate the occasion in Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and some areas of Russia!
What is the 15th February celebrated as?
Itās largely celebrated as Singles Awareness Day - for those who feel left out during Valentineās celebrations.
Further reading:
https://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2
Do you know any fun facts about Valentines Day? Share them in the comments below!
This page was last modified on February 15, 2023. Suggest an edit