Here are some facts you may or may not know about Valentine’s Day.
- Valentine’s Day started with the Romans. It divides the holiday origins into two theories. A-According to History.com, the day derives from Lupercalia, a Roman festival on February 15th where men stripped naked and spanked young maidens hoping to increase their fertility. B. When Roman Emperor Claudius II tried to bolster his army because he thought single men made the best soldiers. Therefore, he forbade men from marrying. St. Valentine defied the ban and, in the spirit of love, performed marriages. For his disobedience, Valentine was executed on February 14th.
- Wearing your heart on your sleeve is more than just a phrase. The Smithsonian reports young men and women in the Middle Ages drew names to see who their Valentine would be. They wore the name pinned to their sleeve for one week so everyone would know their supposed feelings.
- Candy hearts were originally medical lozenges. Boston pharmacist Oliver Chase invented a machine in 1847 that simplified the lozenge production process. This resulted in the first candy making machine. Chase shifted his focus to candy production Necco wafers after identifying an opportunity to revolutionize the candy business.
- The candies got their iconic shape much later. 15 years later, after the creation of Necco wafers, Chase developed a way to press words onto the candy lozenges using a felt roller and vegetable food coloring. According to the Huffington Post, the conversation candies became heart-shaped in 1902.
- Valentine’s Day is a popular holiday to get engaged. Diamond retailer James Allen did a study in 2027 and found that 43% of millennials chose Valentine’s Day as their day of choice to propose or be proposed to.
These fun facts were found on the Women’s Day online magazine.
Alicia Coleman 