• The concept of Valentine’s Day comes from an ancient Roman celebration called Lupercalia, which honored the gods Lupercus and Faunus. After the feasts, men would draw women’s names from a box and each couple would be paired until next year’s celebration. This event was not called “Valentine’s Day” until a priest named Valentine decided to perform marriage ceremonies for soldiers. Emperor Claudius II, who had ordered that all soldiers remain bachelors, executed Valentine on February 14th. As Christianity spread through Rome, priests renamed Lupercalia “St. Valentine’s Day” to honor Saint Valentine.
• The first valentine was sent by St. Valentine himself, on the eve of his execution. It was signed “from your Valentine,” and was a note of appreciation to the jailer’s daughter, who had brought him food and delivered messages.
• In order of popularity, Valentine’s Day cards are given to teachers, children, mothers, wives, and sweethearts.
• The expression “wearing your heart on your sleeve” comes from a Valentine’s Day party tradition. Young women would write their names on slips of paper to be drawn by young men. A man would then wear a woman’s name on his sleeve to claim her as his valentine.
• Fifteen percent of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.
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