Spread the love in your classroom by entertaining your kids with these fascinating facts about Valentine’s Day! It’s a day that’s celebrated worldwide, but few of us know the origins and lore behind it. So why not treat your learners to a day of fun-filled learning, complete with heart-shaped candies, as you introduce them to some lesser-known facts about Valentine’s Day?
1. Valentine’s Day is celebrated every year on February 14th.
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2. The day is named after Saint Valentine, a Christian martyr who lived in the Roman Empire.
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3. The oldest known Valentine still in existence today is a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife in 1415.
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4. Every year, over 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged worldwide.
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5. Valentine’s Day is the second-largest card-giving holiday after Christmas.
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6. The most popular flower choice on Valentine’s Day is the red rose, followed by pink roses, lavender roses, and then mixed flowers.
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7. In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names to see who their valentine would be.
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8. Women purchase approximately 85% of all valentines.
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9. Teachers receive the most Valentine’s Day cards, followed by children, mothers, and wives.
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10. In Victorian times, it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine’s Day card.
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11. Approximately 50 million roses are given on Valentine’s Day worldwide.
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12. The heart shape is a symbol of love and is often associated with Valentine’s Day.
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13. Wearing a heart-shaped pin or clothing was a way to let someone know you were seeking a relationship in the Middle Ages.
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14. The phrase “wearing your heart on your sleeve” came from a Valentine’s Day tradition.
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15. Many people believe the “X” symbol became synonymous with the kiss in medieval times.
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16. Valentine’s Day is celebrated in different ways around the world.
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17. In South Korea, women give chocolate to men on February 14th, and then men give non-chocolate candy to women on March 14th.
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18. In Finland and Estonia, February 14th is called “Friend’s Day” and is more about celebrating friendships than romantic love.
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19. Approximately 8 billion candy hearts are made each year.
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20. The Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare’s characters Romeo and Juliet lived, receives thousands of Valentine’s Day letters addressed to Juliet.
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21. The first Valentine’s Day box of chocolates was introduced by Richard Cadbury in 1868.
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22. In ancient times, some people believed that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine’s Day, it meant she would marry a sailor.
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23. In the Philippines, Valentine’s Day is a popular day for weddings and mass weddings have taken place on this day.
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24. Valentine’s Day has its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration commemorated annually on February 15.
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25. In Victorian times, people expressed their love with hand-made cards instead of buying them from a store.
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26. “Lovebirds” are birds that sit close together and look like they’re kissing, which is why they’re associated with Valentine’s Day.
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27. In the Middle Ages, people believed that birds started mating on February 14th.
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28. Nearly 6 million couples get engaged on Valentine’s Day.
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29. In the U.S., 220,000 wedding proposals happen on Valentine’s Day each year.
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30. Chocolate has been a symbol of love and affection since the Aztecs and Mayans.
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31. In some countries, Valentine’s Day is known as “The Day of Love and Friendship.”
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32. Lace is often used on Valentine’s decorations. The word “lace” comes from the Latin “laques,” meaning “to snare or net,” as in to catch a person’s heart.
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33. Cupid, the winged baby with a bow and arrow, is one of the most famous symbols of Valentine’s Day.
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34. Cupid is the Roman god of love and is based on the Greek god Eros.
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35. The first commercially printed Valentine’s Day card was produced in 1913 by Hallmark.
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36. Some people believe the “X” in “XO” (hugs and kisses) symbolizes the Christian cross and originated from people signing off with a kiss.
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37. February 14th was officially declared as Valentine’s Day by Pope Gelasius in the year 496 AD.
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38. Valentine’s Day is the busiest day of the year for florists.
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39. Valentine’s Day was first introduced to Japan in 1936 and has become widely popular. However, it’s celebrated differently than in the West.
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40. In Denmark, people send pressed white flowers called snowdrops to their friends.
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41. Almonds are a symbol of love and friendship and were often given as gifts in the past.
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42. King Henry VII of England declared February 14th as Valentine’s Day in 1537.
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43. The color red is often associated with Valentine’s Day because it’s considered the color of the heart.
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44. In Wales, some people celebrate Saint Dwynwen’s Day (the Welsh Valentine’s Day) on January 25th.
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45. In the U.S., around $20 billion is spent on Valentine’s Day each year.
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46. The average American spends about $130 on Valentine’s Day gifts and celebrations.
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47. The oldest surviving love poem to date was written on a clay tablet from the times of the Sumerians around 3500 BC.
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48. Some people celebrate “Singles Awareness Day” on February 15th, a humorous counter-celebration to Valentine’s Day.
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49. In the 1800s, doctors prescribed chocolate to patients to help deal with the sadness of lost love.
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50. The heart is the only human organ that works without ever resting.
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51. In the U.S., about 9 million people buy Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets.
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52. In medieval times, girls would eat bizarre foods on Valentine’s Day to make them dream of their future husbands.
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53. Valentine’s Day is also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine.
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