February 14th is probably the sweetest day of the year—and we’re not only talking about sugary candy hearts and boxes full of chocolate truffles. Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate all kinds of love and appreciation with friends and family. A party, special baked goods, or a beautiful handmade Valentine’s Day card are all great ways to show your kids, grandkids, and friends the importance of friendship and love.
This year why not add a fun twist with a few little-known facts? You can either include a fun fact inside a card, or turn it into a party game while you’re decorating cupcakes.
The History of Valentine’s Day
- Alexander Graham Bell applied for his patent on the telephone on February 14th, 1876.
- Cupid, the little cherub that shoots love arrows on Valentine’s Day, is the son of the Roman god of love and beauty, Venus (whose favourite flower was a red rose).
- England’s King Henry VIII declared February 14th an official holiday in 1537.
- In the 1800s, chocolate was considered a cure to calm medical patients’ pining for lost love.
- To find their Valentine during the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl and wear the name on their sleeves for one week, coining the expression “wear your heart on your sleeve.”
Traditions Around the World
- The U.S., Canada, Mexico, France, Australia and the U.K. are the only countries that celebrate Valentine’s Day. If you have friends or family living there, send a Valentine overseas!
- In the Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet takes place, about 1,000 letters arrive every Valentine’s Day addressed to Juliet.
Gifts
- Teachers will receive the most Valentine’s Day cards every year. Next comes, children, mothers, wives, and significant others.
- About 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year. Only Christmas tops that number.
- About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine’s Day gifts to their pets.
- Richard Cadbury made the first box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day in the late 1800s.
- 12.8 million stems of roses, making more than one million bouquets of a dozen, were produced in Canada in 2009.
- $2.8 billion worth of jewellery and watches were sold at Canadian retailers in 2009.
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Related links:
Valentine’s Day By the Numbers
Explore the History of Valentine’s Day
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