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There was more than one St. Valentine -

While at least three St. Valentines are mentioned in early martyrologies, most sources point to one as the holiday's patron saint. Valentine was a priest in 3rd-century Rome who defied Emperor Claudius II's ban on marriage, illegally marrying couples, until he was caught and sentenced to death.

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Valentine's Day is no longer a religious feast day -

In 1969, the feast day was removed from the Christian liturgical calendar due to how little was known about the patron saint, or saints.

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It has roots in an ancient pagan festival -

Although some historians believe that Valentine's Day commemorates the death of St. Valentine on February 14, others believe that the holiday actually has its origins in a pagan fertility festival called Lupercalia, which was celebrated between February 13 and 15 in ancient Rome. The festival was dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

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Cupid has his roots in Greek mythology -

The chubby baby with wings and a bow and arrow known as Cupid has been associated with Valentine's Day for centuries. However, before he was renamed Cupid, he was known to the ancient Greeks as Eros, the god of love. It was the Romans who renamed him and adopted the childlike appearance that we recognize today.

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It officially became a holiday associated with love in the 1300s -

At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius officially declared the date of February 14 as St. Valentine's Day. But it was only in the Middle Ages that the holiday became associated with love and romance. The tradition first started from the common belief in France and England that birds started their mating season on February 14.

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The first Valentine was written from prison -

The oldest record of a Valentine was a poem written by a French medieval duke named Charles to his wife in 1415. Imprisoned in the Tower of London after his capture at the Battle of Agincourt, 21-year-old Charles wrote, "I am already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine." He was only released after 20 years.

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The first mass-produced Valentines came about in the 1840s -

In the 1840s, the first Valentine's Day cards were mass-produced in the US and sold by Esther A. Howland. Known as the "Mother of the American Valentine," Howland is remembered for her elaborate, crafty cards made with lace and ribbons.

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"Vinegar Valentines" discouraged suitors -

During the Victorian era, those who didn't want the attention of certain suitors would anonymously send cards that comically insulted and rejected unwanted admirers. Known as "vinegar Valentines," they were later used to target suffragettes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

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The tradition of giving Valentine's Day flowers dates back to the 17th century -

Giving red roses became a romantic gesture in the late 17th century. The practice can be traced back to when King Charles II of Sweden learned the "language of flowers," the different meanings of different flowers, on a trip to Persia, and subsequently introduced the tradition to Europe.

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Nearly 250 million roses are grown for Valentine's Day each year -

In an effort to provide the flowers for the holiday, countries including Ecuador, Kenya, and Colombia ship the roses to the US, since they don't grow in colder temperatures.

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The color of the flower(s) given on Valentine's Day holds meaning -

While red roses traditionally symbolized love, other colors like deep pink, purple, or white, which symbolize happiness, royalty and sympathy, respectively, can also be given.

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Americans spend a lot on love -

According to the National Retail Foundation, Americans spent nearly US$26 billion on Valentine's Day gifts in 2023. On average, an individual would spend approximately $193 for Valentine's Day.

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Americans send a lot of Valentine's Day cards each year -

According to Hallmark, roughly 145 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged every February 14. This makes Valentine's Day the second-biggest holiday for exchanging greeting cards, after Christmas.

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Americans also spend millions of dollars on gifts for their pets -

Your furry friends need love, too! In 2020, around 27.6 million American households gave Valentine's Day presents to their dogs, and more than 17.1 million picked up gifts for their cats.

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Booklets were created to help people write Valentines -

In the 19th century, you could purchase a Valentine's Writer to help find the right words to send to your loved ones. These booklets contained sample text that could be used to express your love.

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Candy is the most popular gift -

According to the National Retail Federation, most people give candy and greeting cards to their loves. Many will also spend money on flowers, gift cards, and clothing.

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The first heart-shaped box of chocolates was introduced in 1861 -

Richard Cadbury, son of Cadbury founder John Cadbury, started packaging chocolates in fancy boxes to increase sales. He introduced the first heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine's Day in 1861.

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Conversation hearts got their start as medical lozenges -

The iconic little candy heart first began when Boston pharmacist Oliver Chase invented a machine that simplified the way medical lozenges were made. Resulting in America's first candy-making machine, Chase soon started shifting his focus from making lozenges to candy. He then founded the New England Confectionery Company, or Necco.

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Printed messages on conversation hearts -

In 1866, Oliver's brother, Daniel Chase, started printing sweet messages on the candy hearts. However, these candies were bigger and featured much longer phrases, such as "Married in white you have chosen right."

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More than eight billion conversation hearts are manufactured each year -

Available year round, each box has approximately 45 sayings, including "True Love," "Hug Me," and "You Rock."

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Valentine's Day is one of the most popular days for proposals -

What better day is there than the one literally dedicated to love and romance? While Christmas and New Year's Day see more people popping the big question, V-Day is also a big one.

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"XOXO" didn't always mean hugs and kisses -

The origins of the popular signature stem from the Middle Ages when the "X" symbolized the Christian cross, and letters ended with the sign of the cross and a kiss to symbolize an oath. As the signature became more popular, it came to mean something had been "sealed with a kiss."

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Lovebirds are actual birds -

While the term "lovebirds" is a popular figure of speech, it's also the common name for Agapornis birds. Native throughout the African continent, they travel in pairs, which is why they're referred to as lovebirds.

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Wearing your heart on your sleeve -

William Shakespeare used the expression in 'Othello,' marking its first written record. However, it's possible that the poetic phrase dates back to the era of medieval jousts, when a knight dedicated a match to a lady by tying something of hers, such as a scarf, around his sleeve of armor.

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Letters addressed to Juliet -

Another romantic Shakespeare-inspired tradition are the letters to Juliet. Around Valentine's Day, thousands of letters are sent to Verona, Italy, addressed to the 'Romeo and Juliet' character Juliet Capulet. The city marks the location of the Shakespearean tale, and the letters are answered by a team of volunteers from the Juliet Club. The club awards the Cara Giulietta ("Dear Juliet") prize to the author of the most touching love letter.

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Valentine's in Japan -

In Japan, it's customary for just the women to give confections to the men in their lives. On March 14, exactly a month later, the men repay the favor by celebrating the popular "White Day."

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V-Day in many Latin American countries -

Many Latin American countries know the holiday as el día de los enamorados (Day of Lovers) or día del amor y la amistad (Day of Love and Friendship). While couples do exchange flowers and chocolate, V-Day's focus is also directed at showing gratitude to friends.

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Valentine's Day horror movies are a thing -

On Valentine's Day, some people prefer to get their heart rates up by watching a scary movie about the holiday. The popular movie 'My Bloody Valentine' (1981) is one of many.

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Galentine's Day -

Celebrated on February 13, Galentine's Day was introduced by Amy Poehler's 'Parks and Recreation' character Leslie Knope in 2010. According to Knope, the holiday is all about "Ladies celebrating ladies. It's like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus, frittatas."

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There's an official Valentine's Day alternative for singles -

Celebrated globally since 2003, International Quirkyalone Day is the holiday for single people on the same date. The holiday isn't an anti-Valentine's Day event, but rather a moment to celebrate self-love and platonic relationships.

Sources: (History) (Good Housekeeping) (Country Living) 

See also: The science behind falling in love

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