by Sarah Ganly

Created on: December 15, 2009   Last Updated: December 16, 2009

When many people think of Valentine’s Day they think of roses, cards, and chocolate all covered in red and pink, but there are many other fascinating parts of Valentine’s Day. This article will discuss several interesting facts about Valentine’s Day.

Romeo and Juliet is probably the most famous of all love stories. On Valentine’s Day the town of Verona “receives about 1,000 letters every year sent to Juliet” (A.,2007). 

Valentine’s Day is a day of love and affection, but it may have started in an usual way. It is believed that Emperor Claudius II ordered his soldiers to not get married because he believed it impacted their ability to fight, but a priest named Valentine conducted  secret weddings anyway. It is amazing that outlawing marriage could start a holiday about love.

It is also believed that the origin of referring to someone as your valentine came from a letter the priest named Valentine wrote to a woman he had fallen in love with. After Claudius realized what Valentine had done he order him to be executed. While he was in jail he fell in love and wrote his amore a love letter that was signed, “From Your Valentine”.

Wearing your heart on your sleeve is a common phrase, but it originated because of Valentine’s Day. In the middle ages young men and women drew names from a hat to choose who would be their valentine that year, and they would pin the name to their sleeve to show their feelings.

During Valentine’s Day “around 1 billion cards” are sent across the U.S. (A., 2007).

Valentine’s Day may have its name because of a saint, but it has long had links to love and fertility. February 14th is the traditional day in nature when bird choose their mates.

On the 15th of February the Romans would hold a lottery where the winner would choose their woman.

In the Middle Ages it was believed that the first person you met on Valentine’s Day would be your future significant other.

You may think mothers or significant others are the recipients of the most Valentine’s Day cards, but teachers actually receive the most valentines.
Children from the age of 6-10 are will give and receive more than 650 million Valentine’s Day cards.

The rose is the traditional flower of Valentine’s Day, and it signifies romance and passion. The rose was also the flower associated with the Roman goddess known as Venus.

Cupid is another famous symbol of this holiday,

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