Here are our top 10 Interesting historic facts you didn’t know about Valentine’s Day. We all know Valentine’s Day to be a day of romance. Every year, you can expect to see people rushing about in the weeks before Valentine’s Day as they plan dates and buy gifts for their sweethearts. Roses, chocolate, teddy bears, and love letters can be seen everywhere you turn. Indeed, Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love.
Here are 10 things that you probably didn’t even know about Valentine’s Day that may surprise you.
#1: Valentine’s Day actually started as a rebellion of sorts.
Yes, we all know of Valentine’s Day as a day of romance, but the holiday’s origins are not that sweet. The holiday is actually based on Saint Valentine (patron saint of lovers), a priest who was martyred (killed for his beliefs) on February 14, 270. The Roman Emperor Claudius was working on building a powerful army, and feared that his soldiers would rather stay home with their wives than fight for him. Therefore, he forbade his soldiers from marriage. But Saint Valentine was a big believer of love, and married soldiers to their sweethearts anyways. And so, he was martyred.
#2: You can exchange clothing for love in some countries.
In some countries, prospective suitors may give a young woman the gift of clothing on Valentine’s Day. If the gift is kept, then that’s basically her saying “yes” to his proposal of marriage. Don’t want to accidentally marry someone on Valentine’s Day? Try these gift ideas instead. They’re great for anyone, and you won’t be proposing or saying “yes”. Promise.
#3: Sealing your letter with a kiss is old. Really old.
Many of us send our texts or letters with “XOXO” at the end. While the ‘O’ symbol is fairly newer, the ‘X’ actually dates back to medieval times. At that time, not many people knew how to write. To make things easier, they would end their letters with a simple ‘X’ embossed in either wax or ink to express their love. Nowadays, it represents the kiss.
#4: Roses have represented love since Ancient Roman Times.
While people do buy other flowers like sunflowers and carnations, roses still reign as the most popular flower on Valentine’s Day (or any day, really). Why? Because roses (red roses in particular) are a symbol of love. This representation dates back to Ancient Rome, where the red rose was the favourite flower of Venus, the Goddess of love.
#5: Men buy the most flowers on Valentine’s Day.
Did you know that a massive 73% of men will buy flowers on Valentine’s Day, while only 27% of women will do so? Ladies, maybe it’s time you spoil your loved one with a nice gift. Sure, a good number of men don’t like flowers, but there are other options. Whether he’s manly, creative, or classic, there’s many gift ideas for men you can choose from.
#6: Single? There’s a holiday for that.
If you find yourself single on Valentine’s Day, no fret: Finland has your back. Instead of Valentine’s Day, Finland calls the holiday Ystävänpäivä, which loosely translates into “Friend’s Day”. Instead of only celebrating romance, the holiday is all about appreciating your friends instead.
#7: The origin of wearing your heart on your sleeve.
This phrase has been particularly popular in recent years, but it actually originated in the Middle Ages. Back in this time, the young men and women of towns would draw names from a bowl to see who would be their Valentine. For the following week, they would wear this name pinned on their sleeve.
#8: Back in old Victorian times, it was actually considered bad luck to sign a Valentine’s Day card.
It must’ve been a hard task trying to remember who sent you each letter.
#9: Juliet still receives letters till this day.
Romeo and Juliet, the stars of Shakespeare’s famous play, are symbolic of Valentine’s Day and romance. In fact, the Italian city of Verona, where Romeo and Juliet lived, still receives nearly 1,000 letters every Valentine’s Day.
#10: Women used to eat some weird stuff on Valentine’s Day.
Back in medieval times, young girls and women at bizarre foods on Valentine’s Day, as it was believe that this would enable them to meet their future husbands in their dreams. In times where a boar’s head sewn onto a turkey’s body was considered a “normal” food, you can only imagine how weird these Valentine’s Day meals were.
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