Remember those fun little Valentine cards you exchanged with your grade-school buddies? The fun you had with silly pastel-colored candy hearts? Have you ever been gifted with chocolates of flowers? “How’d all this get started?” you may wonder. Here are 10 Valentine’s Day Questions you might ask, and the burning answers you want to know!
ONE: How did Valentine’s Day get started?
Valentine's Day actually started because people in ancient Rome wanted to celebrate fertility and the coming of spring. The festival of Lupercalia was a wild, bawdy, and provocative celebration in mid-February to celebrate fertility and the coming of spring. As Christianity spread, the holiday was rebranded to a less racy occasion that honored St. Valentine, a martyred saint associated with love.
TWO: Who Was Saint Valentine?
The truth is that no one knows for sure.
The identity of St. Valentine is shrouded in mystery. The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend suggests that Valentine was a priest who defied Emperor Claudius II's ban on marriages by performing secret weddings for young lovers. A romantic take that makes sense for Valentine’s Day for sure!
THREE: Who Sent the First Valentine?
The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife in 1415 while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London for political infighting. Charles was only 21, and he wrote this to his wife.
Ironically, it is not a happy love-story. This very young man is already tired of love, and his wife died before he was released from prison.
‘God forgives him who has estranged
Me from you for the whole year.
I am already sick of love,
My very gentle Valentine.’
This heartfelt note is now part of the British Library's collection.
FOUR: How did Valentine’s Day Cards get started?
The woman who envisioned the “Valentine’s Day” card was Esther Howland. She graduated from Massachusetts's Mount Holyoke College in 1847. Her father owned a large stationery store, and Howland got the idea to mass produce Valentine’s Day cards using fine paper, lace, silks, and colored inks.
In this Pre-Civil-War era, only 10-15% of women were employed outside the home. Yet Howland’s Valentine’s cards were a huge commercial success, and she need employees to keep the manufacturing line going. Howland hired all women.
Howland ran her business, the New England Valentine Company, for more than thirty very-profitable years. “By 1880, the company was making the equivalent of $2.5 million dollars today each year. (Over $100,000 annually at that time.)
Another Valentine’s irony? Esther Howland remained single all her life, too busy running her company and promoting gender equality in the workplace to find love!
FIVE: How did giving chocolates get started?
Have you heard of Cadbury chocolate?
Richard Cadbury was the son of an English family that produced chocolates. The Cadbury company developed a way to make purer-tasting cocoa butter allowing for better beverages and candy. In 1868, Cadbury got the idea to make beautiful, heart-shaped, decorated boxes filled with chocolates.
Beginning in the 1840s, the idea of romantic love was associated with Valentine’s Day. Later, the Victorians loved frilly decorating and the idea of “gifting” fancy things to their loved ones, so the box-of-chocolates-idea really took off!
Today, Americans buy more than 58 million pounds of chocolate every Valentine’s Day!
SIX: What about the gesture of giving roses?
Red roses are synonymous with Valentine's Day, symbolizing deep love and passion. This association dates back to ancient times when the red rose was believed to be the favorite flower of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Supposedly, Aphrodite was so beautiful that red roses sprang up wherever she walked.
Red is also the color of passion and blood, Today, millions of red roses are exchanged on Valentine's Day, reinforcing their status as the ultimate symbol of romance.
Of course, the Scottish poet, Robert Burns’ famous line, “My love is like a red, red rose that’s newly bloomed in June,” probably helped the romantic association of love and red roses!
SEVEN: Is Valentine’s Day celebrated around the world?
Yes!
While Valentine's Day is widely celebrated in many countries, traditions vary. In Japan, it's customary for women to give chocolates to men, with a reciprocal gift expected on March 14th, known as "White Day." In Finland, the day is called "Friend's Day," focusing on celebrating friendships rather than romantic relationships.
EIGHT: Do animals get Valentine’s gifts, too?
Valentine's Day isn't just for humans. Devotion to your dog? Fondness for your feline? You bet!
Approximately 27% of people who celebrate the holiday also buy gifts for their pets, spending over 2 BILLION dollars on their animal friends. One study even showed that 88% of people give more affection and kisses to their pet than they do their significant other!
Nine: Do men feel love on Valentine’s Day?
While women tend to receive the majority of Valentine's Day gifts, men aren't left out of the celebrations. According to surveys, around 35% of men in the U.S. receive Valentine's Day presents.
Personalized gifts, books, hobby-related gifts, food gifts, or tickets to an event like a concert – along with chocolates and cards – are popular gifts.
TEN: How much do we spend on Valentine’s Day?
Get ready for this...
Last year, Americans spent approximately $25.9 BILLION DOLLARS on Valentine's Day gifts!
Popular ways to show love include sending flowers or giving chocolates, jewelry, and special experiences. The average person spent around $192 on gifts for loved ones, showcasing the financial significance of this holiday.
ServiceOne sends love to our customers!
Valentine's Day is rich with history, traditions, and unique customs that have evolved over centuries. It’s a great chance to say how much we love and appreciate the relationships we have with our customers. Whether you’re a new client or a long-term customer, we value you and are sending good thoughts your way this Valentine’s Day!