A Short Tour of History

Once upon a time, in the mystical land of Ancient Rome, there lived a priest named Valentine. He was the original matchmaker, minus the Tinder subscription, helping young lovers tie the knot in secret ceremonies. Why secret, you ask? Because Emperor Claudius II had banned marriages, believing single men made better soldiers. Valentine's not-so-subtle rebellion against this no-love decree led to his imprisonment and, unfortunately, his execution. But fear not, for his legacy of love triumphed, and now we celebrate Valentine's Day in his honor. Talk about a love story with a plot twist!

How Is It Celebrated?

On Valentine's Day, people everywhere morph into amateur poets, florists, and chocolatiers. It's like a love-themed episode of a reality TV show where everyone's trying to out-romance each other. Couples exchange gifts that range from the classic (roses and chocolates) to the creative (homemade love coupons, anyone?). And for those flying solo? It's a great day to practice self-love, like taking yourself out on a date or simply binging on your favorite series with zero guilt.

Valentine's Day

Interesting Facts

• Approximately 220,000 marriage proposals happen on Valentine's Day each year. That's a lot of kneeling!
• Ever wonder why X signifies a kiss? In the Middle Ages, when many people couldn't write, they signed documents with an X and then kissed it to show sincerity. So, when you're signing off your Valentine's card with XOXO, you're actually sealing it with historical kisses!
• The city of Verona, where Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine's Day. Talk about fan mail!
• In Finland, Valentine's Day is more about celebrating friendship than romantic love. They call it "Ystävänpäivä," which means "Friend's Day." So, if you're feeling a bit extra friendly, maybe take a Finnish approach to February 14th.
• The first Valentine's Day box of chocolates was introduced by Richard Cadbury in 1868, making him the unofficial patron saint of chocolate lovers.