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You probably know Valentine’s Day as the day to show your loved ones that you care by smothering them with flowers, and chocolate.
But there are a lot of interesting facts and history behind Valentine’s Day.
Here are 8 interesting facts about Valentine’s Day:
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In the 1300s, it officially became a holiday associated with love and romance.
- Pope Gelasius officially declared the date of February 14 “St. Valentine’s Day.” The day then became associated with love because many believed that birds started their mating season on February 14.
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The first valentine was sent in the 15th century.
- History.com says the first record of a Valentine being sent was in 1415. It was a poem written by a French medieval duke named Charles to his wife. (AW)
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The first mass produced valentine’s started in the 1940s
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Lots of money is made on Valentine’s Day
- 55% of Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day and spend an estimated $19.6 billion a year
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Lots of mail
- Americans send about 145 million Valentine’s Day cards each year.
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Don’t forget the pets
- Americans spend about 650 million on gifts for their pets around Valentine’s Day
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What we spend the most money on.
- The most money on Valentine’s Day is spent on Jewelry, followed by flowers and then candy.
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Lots of people get engaged
- Nearly 6 million couples get engaged on Valentine’s Day