Interesting Valentine’s Day Facts For Kids 2023 [Things You Should Know]
Valentine’s day, also known as St. Valentine’s Day, is held on February 14th every year and is a special day celebrating love and romance. However, do you know that Valentine’s Day was not always associated with flowers, chocolate bars, and gifts? Instead, it was a day to remember Valentinus’ actions. Saint Valentinus was said to have been incarcerated and executed on February 14th for disobeying Emperor Claudius II. Pop.
In this post, you will find some interesting Valentine’s Day facts for kids, so keep on reading!
Origin of Valentine’s Day and why is it celebrated?
Saint Valentine’s Day, popular as Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, originated in 270 AD during the Roman Empire. While earlier it was a mere holiday marking Bishop Valentine’s detention, it has evolved into a day where people show their feelings for their romantic partner by giving flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (defined as “valentines”).
Interesting Facts about Valentine’s Day for Kids
Bishop Valentine was detained on this day.
Although no one knows for certain, it is presumed that Valentine’s Day began in the Roman Empire around 270 AD during the reign of Claudius II. Claudius did not want men to marry during the war because he assumed it made them weak.
Bishop Valentine is said to have performed secret marriage ceremonies so that men could marry their sweethearts. Given this reason, Bishop Valentine was arrested and imprisoned for performing marriage ceremonies.
The red color is associated with Valentine’s day.
Do you know why the color red is associated with Valentine’s Day? It is because blood is red, and many people believe that the theme of love originated in the heart (the most crucial organ of the body that pumps blood). Also, girls would eat special foods on Valentine’s Day in medieval times, which was thought to have caused them to fantasize about their future husbands.
In addition, during the Middle Ages, men and women would draw names from a bowl, and the person whose name they drew became their Valentine. They would wear that person’s name on their forearm for a week, giving rise to the expression “wear your heart on your sleeve.”
Chocolates are the most famous Valentine’s day gifts.
The exchange of gifts between loved ones is a famous Valentine’s Day ritual. And you must know that chocolate was and is the most well-known Valentine’s day gift. On Valentine’s Day, 44 percent of the population receives and offers chocolate.
Furthermore, heart-shaped chocolate boxes, in particular, are the most famous. Red roses, cards, and jewelry are popular Valentine’s Day gifts. And on average, women spend less money on Valentine’s Day presents than men.
Richard Cadbury made the first chocolate.
Some people believe that chocolate boosts energy and willingness. According to scientists, eating chocolate causes the release of endorphins. Endorphins are brain sensors that can cause a positive and happy feeling. Richard Cadbury created the first Valentine’s Day chocolate box in the 1800s. It helped to establish the custom of giving chocolate on Valentine’s Day.
The source of chocolate is the theobroma cacao tree. Theobroma is a Greek word that means “food of the gods.” As you know, chocolate is by far the most popular Valentine’s Day treat. Hence over a billion dollars is spent on chocolates and candies for Valentine’s Day. Moreover, every year, millions of heart-shaped chocolate boxes are purchased for Valentine’s Day.
Aphrodite is the main reason for rose gifting.
The ritual of giving red roses on Valentine’s Day is thought to have originated with the Greek Mythology Deity Aphrodite. Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty, love, and enjoyment. In Roman mythology, Goddess Venus symbolizes love. Likewise, California produces 60% of all red roses in the United States, and it is estimated that over 2 billion U.S. dollars are spent on Valentine’s Day flowers.
In addition, Lace is a fabric synonymous with Valentine’s Day. Lace is derived from the Latin word “plaques,” which means “to snare or net,” as in “to catch a person’s heart,” and every year, over 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent worldwide.
Valentine’s Day derives from an old Pagan festival.
While expert historians believe that Valentine’s Day memorializes St. Valentine’s death on February 14th, others believe the holiday derives from a fertility event called “Lupercalia,” celebrated on February 15th in ancient Rome. The day was lauded for offering animals to deities and hitting women with animal hides; a practice believed to inspire fertility. It was devoted to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and Roman pioneers Romulus and Remus.
Cupid’s origins can be traced back to Greek mythology.
Cupid is the charming cherub who appears on Valentine’s Day cards, sometimes armed with a bow and arrow — but how did he become a well-known Valentine’s Day symbol? According to a study, the figure dates back to 700 B.C., to Eros, the Greek god of love who was a gorgeous, immortal man with the strong capacity to make people fall in love. The Romans redesigned Eros as a lovely young boy with a bow and arrow in the fourth century BCE, dubbing him “Cupid.”
The custom of offering flowers on Valentine’s Day dates back to the 17th century.
Giving red roses may seem like a common romantic gesture now, but it didn’t become popular until the late 17th century. The custom dates back to King Charles II of Sweden. On a journey to Persia, he learnt the “dialect of flowers,” which couples different flowers with diverse connotations, and subsequently introduced it to Europe. During the Victorian era, giving roses became popular, notably on Valentine’s Day, with crimson roses expressing profound love.
Americans nowadays spend a lot of money on love.
As per the National Retail Foundation, Americans spent more than $20 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts in 2019 and are supposed to spend a record-breaking $27.4 billion in 2020 — $2.4 billion of which will be spent on candy alone! People are also expecting to spend an average of $196 on Valentine’s Day, with men spending around $291 and women spending $106.
Americans send 145 million Valentine’s Day cards every year.
Every February 14th, 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged, according to Hallmark (which doesn’t include all the valentines exchanged in classrooms!). It helps make Valentine’s Day, after Christmas, the second most popular holiday for exchanging greeting cards. Hence it might not be wrong to say that we’ve come a long way since Hallmark Cards released their first Valentine’s card in 1913.
People spend the most money on jewelry as a Valentine’s Day gift.
Although candy and flowers are popular Valentine’s Day gifts, the National Retail Federation reports that jewelry is the category in which we usually spend the most on February 14th, with a whopping $5.8 billion in 2020! An evening out with romantic partners was the second most expensive gift on Valentine’s Day 2020, with $4.3 billion, accompanied by clothing, candy, and flowers.
Conversation hearts began as healthcare tablets.
The story of conversation hearts began when a Boston doctor called Oliver Chase invented a machine that streamlined the manufacture of prescription pills (used to treat sore throats and other diseases). Because the pharmacist immediately turned his concentration from tablet production to candy production, the outcome was America’s first candy-making machine! Chase founded the New England Confectionery Company, or Necco, and the sweet chewable rapidly evolved into the Necco wafers we know today.
The Bottom Line
Every year on February 14th, countless letters are sent to Verona, Italy, as people believe it is where the most romantic couple, Romeo and Juliet, resided. These letters are sent in the name of Juliet and are full of emotion, enthusiasm, and, in many cases, heartbreak. Volunteers known as Juliet’s secretaries read each letter, write responses, and choose a winner of the “Cara Giulietta” (which translates to “Dear Juliet”) prize. The winner is invited to Juliet’s home in Verona for a special ceremony.
For more such exciting facts and information, visit.