FIVE V-DAY FACTS THAT NO ONE ASKED FOR

Why on February 14th?

February 14 is the feast of St. Valentine, a Catholic saint who was executed by Roman Emperor Claudius II on that date sometime during the third century A.D. Multiple  legends surround the reason for his death. The most popular one says he was a priest who married young couples after Claudius outlawed marriage for young men (apparently they were better soldiers when they weren’t romantically attached).

Why do we call each other “Valentines”?

There’s a good reason we call our sweethearts the name of a beheaded priest. Legend has it that when St. Valentine was in prison, he prayed with the daughter of one of his judges and cured her blindness. Before his execution, he wrote her a letter, signing it “From your Valentine.” Whether or not this was a romantic gesture is up for debate. Nevertheless, the signature caught on and is still used to show affection.

What’s up with the heart shape?

If we were anatomically correct when we drew hearts, the result would be a complex clump of valves and muscles. While the shape we’re more familiar with is a lot easier to draw, no one really knows the origin of the heart shape. One possibility is that it resembles the now-extinct plant silphium. Once found in the African city-state Cyrene, the plant was used as food coloring, a cough syrup, and most notably, a contraceptive. The shape’s association with sex eventually turned into one of love. The other suggestion is actually anatomical in nature. Some have thought the shape to be a representation of breasts, buttocks, sexual organs, or an inaccurate depiction of a real heart.

Roses are red…

Back in the Victorian era, people expressed their emotions through floriography, or the language of flowers. Giving a certain kind of flower conveyed a specific message, and red roses meant romance. Today, they carry that same symbol of romance—and they’re really cheap.

Life is like a box of chocolates

Heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are basically a V-Day staple. If your boo didn’t get you one, is he really your boyfriend? This tradition started in the 19th century by Richard Cadbury – a scion of a British chocolate manufacturing family. Cadbury was quick to sell chocolates as part of the beloved holiday when the company established a new technique to create more varieties of the sweet.