Valentine’s Day, the holiday of love and romance, has a rich history dating back to ancient times. While the celebration of this special day has evolved over the centuries, it has always been associated with expressions of affection and devotion. But did you know that behind the flowers, chocolates, and heartfelt messages, there are some bizarre and wacky facts about Valentine’s Day that you may have never heard of? From Roman lotteries to mass weddings, from anonymous postcards to hard-boiled eggs, this holiday is full of surprises. So join us as we explore 25 fascinating and quirky facts about Valentine’s Day that will make you appreciate the holiday in a whole new light.
1. In medieval times, men would draw names from a box to see who their Valentine would be. This tradition is the origin of today’s practice of exchanging Valentine’s Day cards.
2. The oldest known Valentine’s Day letter still in existence was written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.
3. The largest Valentine’s Day card display was achieved in 2013, with over 900,000 cards on display at the Museum of Love in Bolton, England.
4. In Japan, Valentine’s Day is celebrated as a day for women to give chocolate to men, and White Day is celebrated one month later, where men give gifts to women.
5. In Finland, Valentine’s Day is more about friendship than romance and is called “Ystävänpäivä,” which means “Friend’s Day.”
6. The ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was held in mid-February, was thought to be the origin of Valentine’s Day. It involved the exchange of love notes and the pairing of couples through a lottery system.
7. In medieval times, it was believed that the first person you saw on Valentine’s Day would become your spouse.
8. In the Middle Ages, it was customary to give birds as gifts on Valentine’s Day, which is why doves and pigeons are symbols of love.
9. In Wales, wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on Valentine’s Day, with different symbols representing different meanings.
10. In medieval England, women would pin five bay leaves to their pillow on Valentine’s Eve, one for each of their true loves.
11. In some parts of the world, it is customary to give anonymous gifts on Valentine’s Day, leading to secret admirers revealing themselves.
12. In the Middle Ages, girls would write the names of their crushes on pieces of paper and put them in a pot. The first name to be picked out would be their Valentine.
13. In 1537, King Henry VII of England declared February 14th as the official holiday of St. Valentine’s Day.
14. In the 1700s, it became fashionable in England to send handwritten Valentine’s Day messages, leading to the creation of the first Valentine’s Day cards.
15. In the 19th century, Valentine’s Day cards were primarily made by hand, with some even being decorated with real lace and ribbon.
16. In the United States, the first mass-produced Valentine’s Day cards were made in the early 1900s by Esther A. Howland.
17. In the medieval era, it was believed that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man, and if she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a rich man.
18. In Italy, Valentine’s Day is celebrated as the “Festival of Love,” with couples exchanging gifts and writing love letters to each other.
19. In Denmark and Norway, children exchange Valentine’s Day cards with classmates and friends, not just romantic partners.
20. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that if a woman saw a bat on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a man who was blind. If she saw a butterfly, she would marry a wealthy man, and if she saw a caterpillar, she would marry a man who was poor but hardworking.
21. In Slovenia, Saint Valentine’s keys are given as a symbol of love and affection on Valentine’s Day. The recipient of the key is said to be unlocking the giver’s heart.
22. In the Philippines, mass weddings are held on Valentine’s Day, with hundreds of couples tying the knot in a joint ceremony.
23. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that if a woman ate a hard-boiled egg on Valentine’s Day, she would have good luck in finding a husband.
24. In some parts of the world, Valentine’s Day is also known as the “Day of the Enamored,” “Day of Love and Friendship,” or “The Feast of Saint Valentine.”
25. In the 19th century, the tradition of sending Valentine’s Day cards anonymously became popular, leading to the creation of the first Valentine’s Day postcards.
