It’s said that many virgins take their first taste at sex on Valentine’s day. Some married couples, as if possessed, commit infidelity on this day.

• Pagan Ritual
• chocolate gift
• letter was written from prison
• Cupid seen on Valentine card
• cards are purchased by women
• flowers bought by men
• second most popular day
• Valentine is linked to St. Valentine
• holiday for love couple
• 250 million roses are grown each year

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Every 14th February is celebrated as Valentine’s day. It is a day that couples and lovers across the length and breadth of the world honor their spouses or partners and culminate their love in the greatest passion imaginable.

It’s said that many virgins take their first taste at sex on Valentine’s day. Some married couples, as if possessed, commit infidelity on this day.

In this article, we tell you some interesting facts about Valentine’s day that you probably didn’t know. Countless traditions and customs went into carving this day we so much cherish.

(1) Valentine’s day linked to a bloody Pagan festival.

There’s a reason why many staunch Christian’s don’t celebrate Valentine’s day. There’s a belief that the Valentine’s day was the church’s way of replacing an undesirable pagan ritual.

The day was carved out by the Roman church by replacing a pagan fertility festival. This reportedly dates back to the 6th century B.C.

The Romans had a festival called the Lupercalia. During this festival, Roman priests would slaughter dogs and goats and use the blood-soaked hides of the animals to slap women on the streets. This was believed to bestow fertility blessing on these women. Women who went through this tradition would later have their names put in an urn for selection to be coupled with a man.

(2) The chocolate gift

Have you wondered why chocolates are doled out on Valentine’s day? Somebody has probably promised you chocolate on the Val’s day. Isn’t it?

This ubiquitous tradition of gifting chocolates on Valentine’s day started in the 19th century by a man called Richard Cadbury. Richard was a scion of a British family whose family owned a chocolate manufacturing company.

Richard decided to sell or give out chocolates on Valentine’s day and this later came to be associated with the occasion. This gave the company the financial boost to sell new types of chocolates.

(3) First Valentine’s day letter was written from prison

Another tradition associated with Valentine’s day is the gifting of letters to love ones. 

As weird as it sounds, the sad fact is that the first Valentine’s day letter was written from prison. Well, that sounds unromantic. Isn’t it? Perhaps!

The Duke of Orleans, Charles, reportedly wrote the first love letter to his second wife while he was in captivity at the age of 21 after being captured in the battle of Agincourt. Charles spent 20 years in captivity and never got to witness the reaction to his Valentine’s day love letter to his second wife. This was believed to have transpired in the 15th century.

(4) Cupid seen on Valentine cards

The Roman god called Cupid, also known as Eros, is found at the back of valentine cards. 

Cupid was a Roman god of love. Legend has it that Cupid would shoot his arrow into peoples’ heart which would make them fall in love.

(5) About 85% of Valentine’s day cards are purchased by women

What world would it be without a woman? Women buy most cards for their love ones on Valentine’s day. A whopping 85% of women reportedly buy valentine cards for their partners.

(6) Around 75% of flowers are bought by men on Val’s day

Most men prefer buying flowers for their sweethearts. The most favored flower is the rose. 

About 75% of men buy flowers for their love ones on Valentine’s day.

(7) Valentine’s day is second most popular day people share cards

Christmas is celebrated by most Christian’s across the world. This is the day Christians remember the birth of Jesus Christ. One characteristic feature of this day is the sharing of Christmas cards.

Valentine’s day is another popular day cards are exchanged between love ones, coming second only to Christmas day.

(8) Valentine is linked to St. Valentine but there wasn’t just one person bearing that name

There are many who believe Valentine’s day was named after a Roman Saint. Well, that is a bit confusing considering the fact that there wasn’t just one but two men called St. Valentine. As to who the occasion referred to is unclear.

There was one man named Valentine who was a priest in the 3rd century in Rome. This man was said to have defied Emperor Claudius II’s ban on marriage. The emperor banned marriage because he believed distracted soldiers from active service to their nation. He was subsequently imprisoned.

(9) Valentine’s day was made a holiday for love couple

Pope Gelasius of Rome officially declared 14th February as St.Valentine’s Day at the end of the 5th century. In the middle ages, the Valentine’s holiday became associated with love and romance.

This tradition first commenced in England and France about the belief that birds started their mating season on 14 February.

(10) Around 250 million roses are grown each year just for Valentine’s Day

Would you believe it? The demand for roses shoot through the roof each year on Valentine’s day such that a whopping 250 million more roses are grown for the occasion.

Flowers and gifts value billions of dollars are bought around the world on Valentine’s Day. 

Many countries such as Kenya which has the largest Catholic fellowship on the continent among others such as Ecuador and Colombia ship millions of flowers abroad earn millions.

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