Valentine’s Day is recognized as the most romantic day of the year. Lovers everywhere celebrate the day with tokens of their love and affection. Among the most common gifts are cards, chocolates and flowers. Many of the traditions and customs that we practice come not only from the Christian faith, but also from the Romans, the Greeks and the Celts.

After Christmas, more cards are sent on Valentine’s Day than any other. Elementary school children, in the US, exchange more than 650 million cards every year. Teachers receive more Valentines than anyone.

Saint Valentine is the patron saint of lovers, happy marriages, beekeepers, travelers, fainting, epilepsy and greetings.

The oldest love poem was written in about 3500 BC. It was written on a clay tablet in Sumerian Cuneiform. The tablet is on display in The Istanbul Museum of the Ancient Orient. The poem was found in Nippur, in Iraq.

Bridegroom, dear to my heart,
Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet. . . .
Bridegroom, I would be taken by you to the bedchamber

~ The feast of Saint Valentines is celebrated on the fourteenth of February.

~ One of the oldest traditions or phrases associated with Valentine’s Day is that of wearing your heart on your sleeve. This stems from an ancient roman festival to celebrate Juno, the goddess of love and marriage. Part of the festival involved the names of young girls being put into a jar. The young men would then pull a name out of the jar and whichever name they pulled would be put on their sleeve. That girl would then be his partner for the festival.

~ The traditional colors of Valentine’s Day are red and white.

~ A single red rose surrounded by baby’s breath is the favorite choice on Valentine’s Day. Roses are the symbol of undying love. Red flowers are symbolic of romance, desire and love.

~ Saint Valentine is first mentioned in the Nuremberg Chronicles.

~ There is one tale of Saint Valentine that states while he was a prisoner in jail, he restored the sight of the jailer’s daughter.

~ One of the oldest accounts of Saint Valentine states that he was a priest in Rome. He lived during the reign of Claudius the II. When Valentine was brought before Claudius, he refused to renounce his faith. The Emperor realizing that Valentine would remain faithful to his beliefs decreed that he should be clubbed and then taken to Flaminian Way and beheaded. It is believed that he was executed on the 14th of February.

~ In Wales, young men and woman would give each other wooden spoons on Valentine’s Day. These were often carved with keyholes to symbolize giving away the key to their heart.

~ The very first Valentine’s Day card is usually credited to the imprisoned Charles, Duke of New Orleans. He was sent to the tower of London after the Battle of Agincourt. While he was in prison, he spent his time writing love verses to his wife. Many of these letters are still on display in the British Museum. 

~ One of the oldest traditions or phrases associated with Valentine’s Day is that of wearing your heart on your sleeve. This stems from an ancient roman festival to celebrate Juno, the goddess of love and marriage. Part of the festival involved the names of young girls being put into a jar. The young men would then pull a name out of the jar and whichever name they pulled would be put on their sleeve. That girl would then be his partner for the festival.

~ The traditional colors of Valentine’s Day are red and white.

~ A single red rose surrounded by baby’s breath is the favorite choice on Valentine’s Day. Roses are the symbol of undying love. Red flowers are symbolic of romance, desire and love.

~ Saint Valentine is first mentioned in the Nuremberg Chronicles.

~ There is one tale of Saint Valentine that states while he was a prisoner in jail, he restored the sight of the jailer’s daughter.

~ One of the oldest accounts of Saint Valentine states that he was a priest in Rome. He lived during the reign of Claudius the II. When Valentine was brought before Claudius, he refused to renounce his faith. The Emperor realizing that Valentine would remain faithful to his beliefs decreed that he should be clubbed and then taken to Flaminian Way and beheaded. It is believed that he was executed on the 14th of February.

~ In Wales, young men and woman would give each other wooden spoons on Valentine’s Day. These were often carved with keyholes to symbolize giving away the key to their heart.

~ The very first Valentine’s Day card is usually credited to the imprisoned Charles, Duke of New Orleans. He was sent to the tower of London after the Battle of Agincourt. While he was in prison, he spent his time writing love verses to his wife. Many of these letters are still on display in the British Museum.