Life

With the history and significance of this special occasion being lost in transition over the years, there’s some facts about Valentine’s Day you might not even know about.

So, before we begin to celebrate this heartfelt occasion, it’s time to see where Valentine’s Day originates from.

The first valentine sent dates back to 1415

The oldest-known Valentine sent was a poem by Charles Duke of Orleans. He penned a poem for his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. The note read, “I am already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine.” Swoon!”.

Millions of greeting cards are purchased every year

Distributing cards to the ones you love is a tradition dating back 600 years. One of the world’s biggest card distributors, Hallmark, reports that over 144 million greeting cards are sent solely in the US alone.

The most gifted item for Valentine’s Day is jewellery

While bouquets, beauty products, clothes and more are popular items to gift on Valentine’s Day, per the National Retail Federation. In 2020, $5.8 billion was spent on jewellery.

READ: The luxe edit of the best jewellery to gift this Valentine’s Day

Around six million couples get engaged on Valentine’s Day yearly

Being one of the most popular days dedicated to love throughout the year, Valentine’s Day has as many as six million couples getting engaged on February 14.

Giving flowers for Valentine’s first started in the 17th century

The act of expressing your love through flowers became a popular trend during the Victorian Era, as the colour red symbolises love. It was made a popular custom by King Charles of Sweden, who had an in-depth learning of flowers on a trip to Persia.

READ: The 7 best UAE-based florists to get the perfect bouquet this Valentine’s Day

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Images: Instagram, Feature Image: @alisontoby