It’s almost Valentine’s Day. Whether or not you celebrate this holiday, there are some very interesting things of note regarding this day of love. Here are 14 sweet Valentine’s Day facts that you can share with your loved ones…or not.
But I do hope you at least have a delicious piece of chocolate to enjoy while reading this!
Valentine’s Day Facts #1: Americans spend A LOT on Valentine’s Day.
The National Retail Federation expects consumers to spend $25.9 billion on Valentine’s Day this year. That’s up from the $23.9 billion spent in 2022. (source)
Valentine’s Day Facts #2: A slim majority celebrates Valentine’s Day.
52% of Americans plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day and will spend an average of $192.80. That’s a lot of dough!
However, that’s not usually spent on one person. That counts all spending on this holiday, including what you might spend on your pets. Yes, people give pets Valentine’s Day presents. Are you one of them? (source)
Valentine’s Day Facts #3: People put their love down on paper.
Roughly 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged in the U.S. This doesn’t include classroom Valentine’s Day cards. (source)
Valentine’s Day Facts #4: X and O didn’t always mean a kiss and hug.
The X likely dates back to Christianity in the Middle Ages when an X was used as a symbol for a cross, and later a symbol for an oath. The origin of the O is murkier but might have to do with immigrants arriving at Ellis Island. As to when and why X and O were put together, well, the first instance researchers have found of it in print was a letter to Santa published in 1960. (source)
Valentine’s Day Facts #5: International Quirkyalone Day is also February 14.
If you are single and happy about it, then you can celebrate International Quirkyalone Day on February 14. Read more about the origins of this day here.
Valentine’s Day Facts #6: You could live in a town called Valentine.
There are three towns located in the states of Arizona, Nebraska, and Texas named Valentine. To be different, I guess, there is a fourth town in Virginia named Valentines with an “s” at the end. It’s not a possessive noun, so no apostrophe. (source)
Valentine’s Day Facts #7: We have a sweet tooth.
Out of the total spending for Valentine’s Day, around $4 billion is spent on candy. (source)
Valentine’s Day Facts #8: You have Cadbury to thank for heart-shaped boxes.
Cadbury was the first company in 1861 to sell chocolates in heart-shaped boxes. They did not patent their idea, however, so competitors quickly followed suit because those boxes were popular. (source)
Valentine’s Day Facts #9: Vinegar Valentines used to be a thing.
Wow, life was harsh in the Victorian era. In the 1800s, Valentine’s Day wasn’t just for love but for unloading ALL your real feelings. It was normal to send notes to people telling them you weren’t interested or explaining all the things you didn’t like about them. These notes were called Vinegar Valentines. (source)
Sounds a lot like Twitter.
Valentine’s Day Facts #10: Conversation hearts dominate the competition.
Conversation hearts are more popular during Valentine’s season than heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. (source) If you want to see what candy is most popular by state for this holiday, click here.
Valentine’s Day Facts #11: It takes a long time to make enough conversation hearts.
It takes 11 months to make enough conversation hearts to meet the demand for Valentine’s Day. (source)
Valentine’s Day Facts #12: Two territories became U.S. states on Valentine’s Day.
Talk about a love connection. Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14, 1859, and Arizona became the 48th state on February 14, 1912. (source)
Valentine’s Day Facts #13: Valentine is the patron saint of beekeepers.
St. Valentine keeps busy in the afterlife interceding for humans. In no particular order, he is the patron saint of beekeepers, epilepsy, lovers, engaged couples, happy marriages, the plague, fainting, and traveling. (source)
At least he won’t get bored with that eclectic list of responsibilities.
Valentine’s Day Facts #14: Labor Day is more popular than Valentine’s Day.
Despite all the spending and the hype around Valentine’s Day, Americans aren’t very fond of it. Labor Day, Memorial Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and many others are much more popular than Valentine’s Day according to this survey.
Are you celebrating Valentine’s Day this year? Or is it not a big deal? Are your kids the biggest recipients of this holiday? I think mine are. Ha! Let me know what you’re doing for Valentine’s Day.
You can always comment on this blog post, email me here, or reach out via Instagram or Facebook.
Happy Valentine’s or Quirkyalone Day!
Thank you for reading today’s blog post. I feel very loved. Here are some other blog posts you might enjoy.