The history of Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day historical facts: -Ancient Roman fertility festival was the beginning of Christianizing the celebration of Valentine’s Day (based on a pagan fertility festival Lupercalia) -St. Valentine was a common name for Christian Clerics -Saint Valentine was a bishop who held secret marriage ceremonies of soldiers in opposition to Claudius II who had prohibited marriage for young men -February 14th was the day for honoring St. Valentine -In the 1300s it became official -In the 17th century people in Great Britain began exchanging cards for Valentine’s Day -Valentine’s Day is the second most popular holiday to Christmas -Americans spend $130/per person per year on Valentine’s Day -$14B is the total spent on Valentine’s Day -6 million couples will get engaged on Valentine’s Day -150 million is the amount of cards exchanged every Valentine’s Day -Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America in the 1800s -180 million roses are exchanged annually -160 million heart-shaped boxes of candy are given -62% of Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day