How Deep is Your Love? Valentine’s Day Facts Everyone Should Know
Valentine’s Day can feel like a romantic fog filled with roses, chocolates, heart-shaped toys, and cheesy cards. This year, we draw back the curtain by sharing nine interesting facts about Valentine’s Day’s origins, history, and endless power to capture our hearts -and wallets.
Whether you’re spending the day solo, with friends, or flirting with a lover, celebrate love for yourself and those around you by learning the real stories behind this sugar-coated day.
Interesting Valentine’s Day Facts To Make You Fall in Love Again
1. Valentine’s Day has ancient pagan roots
After interesting facts about Valentine’s Day’s historic origins?
The day has mysterious origins, though all historians agree it goes back centuries. While some experts believe this romantic day commemorates the death of Saint Valentine on February 14, others believe it is rooted in an ancient Pagan fertility festival called Lupercalia.
Taking place on February 15 in ancient Rome, this festival was devoted to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and Roman founders Remus and Romulus. The day was comprised of rituals believed to enhance fertility, including sacrificing goats and dogs and smacking women with their hides.
2. There’s confusion around who St. Valentine actually was
To add to Valentine’s Day’s murky origins is the fact that experts can’t agree on who St. Valentine, the patron saint the day was named after, actually was.
There are (at least) two men named Valentine whose life could have inspired this annual holiday. One of these men was a third-century Roman priest who supposedly performed illegal marriage ceremonies in defiance of Emperor Claudius II's marriage ban, causing him to be sentenced to death.
The other possible St. Valentine was another Christian martyr. This one is said to have been killed by emperor Claudius II Gothicus after writing a letter to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended. He signed this letter from your Valentine.
3. The holiday became associated with love (and birds) in the 1300s
We’ve got more interesting Valentine’s Day facts for history buffs!
While February 14 was officially pronounced St. Valentine’s Day by Roman Pope Gelasius at the end of the 5th century, the day became symbolic of love and romance in the Middle Ages.
The day’s romantic associations originate from the common belief in England and France at that time that birds began mating on February 14.
4. People started sending and mass-producing Valentine’s cards even later
Back in the 17th century, people began exchanging handwritten letters and cards with lovers and friends to commemorate this day.
But it wasn’t until the late 19th century that Valentine’s Day cards were first mass-produced in the US by a woman named Esther A. Howland, or the Mother of the American Valentine.
5. The first official Valentine’s Day event took place in Paris
We expected nothing less from the city of love.
On Valentine’s Day in the 1400s, King Charles VI of France established the High Court of Love, or La cour amoureuse, which was concerned with matters of the heart: love contracts, betrayals, and violence against women.
6. Feb 14 is a great day for business
Last year, Valentine’s Day spending in the US was over 25 billion dollars. You heard that right.
After fun facts about Valentine’s Day today? Individual people tend to spend an average of $164 dollars on their beaux, with men typically spending double as much as women on romantic gifts.
7. Loads of us like getting intimate on Valentine’s Day
A study by Good In Bed found some sexy and fun facts about Valentine’s Day.
It turns out 65% of people plan to have intimacy with someone on Valentine’s Day. And this doesn’t exclusively mean sex. It also includes sending a hot text, giving a romantic gift, engaging in a fun activity with a partner, and exchanging massage.
The same survey found that 55% of people who choose to have sex on this day would try something new in bed to celebrate.
8. February 14 is a very popular day for getting hitched
Christmas and New Year’s Day hold first and second place as the days with the most proposals, but Valentine’s Day comes in a close third.
Does this interesting Valentine’s Day fact get you inspired? What better way to show your love than getting down on one knee?
9. Every country has a different take on Valentine’s Day
Countries and cultures across the world have fascinatingly varied ways of celebrating love.
In Ghana, February 14 is actually National Chocolate Day, and in Bulgaria, San Trifon Zartan, AKA the day of winemakers.
Japan has a different stance. Every Valentine’s Day, women buy chocolate and gifts for their male partners, who must wait until March 14, known as White day, to return gifts.
In many Latin countries, the day’s loving energy is for friends as well as lovers. The day is known as el día de los enamorados (day of lovers) or día del amor y la amistad (day of love and friendship).
Have these interesting facts about Valentine’s Day made your heart flutter?
You’re not alone. Whether you’re enjoying the single life, enjoying romance with a lover, dancing with friends, or sharing passion on Pantydeal.com, make this day special by learning about its tantalizing and romantic history.
