This post was previously shared on our other blog Tulips Talk
God loved the flowers and invented soil. Man loved the flowers and invented vases. ~Variation of a saying by Jacques Deval
Medieval Europeans believed birds mated on February 14th.73% of U.S. men buy flowers on Valentine’s Day.15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.Queen Victoria sent over 2,500 Valentine’s during her reign.
The Welsh used to give each other wooden spoons on February 14th. During the nineteenth century, romantic Brits would simply pick the first person they say on February 14th to be their Valentine.Finns celebrate Valentine’s Day by being nice to their friends.
Alexander Graham Bell applied for his patent on the telephone on Valentine’s Day, 1876, If it weren’t for Mr. Bell, we’d still be spending each Valentine’s Day waiting by the telegraph.
In the 17th century, a hopeful maiden pinned five bay leaves to her pillow and ate a hard-boiled egg before going to sleep on Valentine’s Eve. It was believed this would make her dream about her future husband.
Red Hearts are an ancient symbol of love. Because the human heart beats faster when one is excited, the heart was thought to be the centre of emotion and feeling in ancient times.
Interlocking Hearts, also known as the true-love knot, represent two hearts joined as one. Sometimes the true-love knot is joined with a capital “A”. The “A” stands for the Latin phrase “Amor vincit omnia”, meaning “Love conquers all.”
Valentine candy boxes are heart-shaped and tied with red ribbon to symbolize giving one’s heart.
To be awakened by a kiss on Valentine’s Day is considered very good luck.
In the United States, 64% of men do not make plans in advance for a romantic valentines day with their Sweethearts.
188 Million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually.
In France young unmarried people as well as older unmarried people would go into houses facing each other and start calling out across from one window to another, pairing off with the one they have chosen. If the young man didn’t fancy his valentine he would desert her and as a result afterwards a bonfire would be lit where the young ladies would burn images of the young man and would yell out abuse as she burnt the image of the young man.
In Germany women plant onions in pots, giving each a man’s name and placing them near the fireplace. The first sprouting onion is the husband-to-be.
In Japan downtown Tokyo department stores sell elegantly wrapped chocolates, but the candy buyers are all women. In Japan women are expected to give men chocolates. On Feb. 14, office ladies, known as OLs in Japanese, buy giri chocos — obligation chocolates — for their bosses. If a woman is interested in someone, she lets him know by giving honmei chocolates “true feeling gifts,” which bear romantic messages.
In Italy Valentine’s Day is celebrated as a Spring Festival and his held in the open air. The young would gather in leafy glades or ornamental gardens, where they would listen to music and hear poetry read, then they would stroll off with their valentine together into the gardens. In Turin it was once customary for an engaged couple to announce their engagement on this day. For a while before the day shops would be decorated and filled with all sorts of bon-bons. In Rome St Valentine’s Day in known as Lupercalia – a very romantic and pleasure-loving occasion. Order your Valentine Flowers Early!