Happy Valentine’s Day, Babynames.co.uk reader! Today is all about love, but did you ever wonder how Valentine’s Day got its start? Or maybe you’re curious about why we give each other roses and chocolates on this special day? Read on for 10 interesting Valentine’s Day facts – we’re sure they will be perfect for impressing your date tonight!
1) Who is Saint Valentine?
Although there is more than one Saint Valentine, the one officially recognised by the Roman Catholic church is a person who died around 270 AD on February 14th. Geoffrey Chaucer, the 14th-century English poet, was the first to associate the date with romantic love. It wasn’t until the 18th-century that the traditions common to Valentine’s Day were created, such as the giving of flowers, sweets and greeting cards to express love.
2) Valentine’s Day is a Rebellious Day
So, how did Saint Valentine become mixed up in all of this? Apparently, emperor of Rome, Claudius II, didn’t want Roman men to marry during times of war, so Saint Valentine secretly performed weddings for loved-up couples. After he was found out, not only was he not remorseful but he tried to convert Claudius to Christianity, and so he was condemned to death.
3) A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet
Why do people buy and give roses on Valentine’s Day? It’s because roses, and in particular red roses, are the preferred flower of Venus, who was the Ancient Roman goddess of love.
4) Why Do We Give Chocolates to Each Other?
We have Richard Cadbury from the Cadbury chocolate family to thank for this tradition. He was the first person to give his lady love a heart-shaped box of chocolates in 1868 – no doubt he caught on to this very genius business idea and chocolates have been a Valentine’s Day staple every since.
5) The First Valentine’s Day Card
The first ever Valentines ever sent in history was by the Duke of Orléans, the younger brother of Charles VI, King of France. He sent it to his wife and inside the card was a poem. However, the first instance of this on a bigger scale was in the 18th century, where lovers would give each other handmade cards. With industrialisation in the 19th-century, pre-made cards were mass produced and the tradition has carried on today.
6) Signing Your Card with a Kiss
Why do we sign our cards with an ‘X’ to symbolise a kiss? Well, it dates back to the Middle Ages. At the bottom of letters, many would draw a Christian cross across their documents to convey sincerity. A kiss was often placed upon the cross as well. This tradition creeped into the lives of common people at the time, many of whom could not read or write, so they used an ‘X’ on their documents to show sincerely.
7) Mr. and Mrs. Popular
Did you know that teachers are the people who receive the most Valentines each year? They are followed by kids, mothers, wives and sweethearts.
8) Show Me Your Love
If you thought your Valentine’s Day gifts were extravagant, think again! The Taj Mahal in India is actually a gift of love from Mughal Emperor Shahjahan to his wife, as a memorial to her.
9) Romeo, Romeo…
“Romeo and Juliet” are perhaps the most famous star-crossed lovers in the history of literature, so it’s no surprise that the Italian city of Verona, where the fictional couple lived, receives thousands of letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine’s Day.
10) Don’t Forget About Your Furry Friend
In addition to the many Valentine’s Day cards and gifts you’ll send to your beloved, don’t forget about the special pet in your life! About 3% of pet owners will give a gift to their pet on Valentine’s Day.
