Let Us Be Your Valentine

Feb 14, 2024

Let us be your Valentine and secure your new 'love (property)' for the 2024/25 Academic Year!


Here are some interesting facts about Valentine's day:


1. St. Valentine wasn't just one person. 


You may already know that Valentine's Day was named after its patron saint, St. Valentine — but there's actually some confusion surrounding which St. Valentine the holiday technically honors. According to History.com, there are at least two men named Valentine that could've inspired the holiday, including one Valentine who was a priest in third century Rome. As the story goes, this Valentine defied Emperor Claudius II's ban on marriage (he thought it distracted young soldiers), illegally marrying couples in the spirit of love until he was caught and sentenced to death. 

Another legend suggests that Valentine was killed for attempting to help Christians escape prison in Rome, and that he actually sent the first "valentine" message himself while imprisoned, writing a letter signed "From your Valentine."


2. The first valentine was sent in the 15th century.


The oldest record of a valentine being sent, according to History.com, was a poem written by a French medieval duke named Charles to his wife in 1415. Charles penned this sweet note to his lover while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London at just 21 years old. One of the lines in the poem? "I am already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine." Swoon!


3. Not until the 1840s did we get the first mass-produced valentines.


People started exchanging cards and handwritten letters to both lovers and friends during the 17th century, but it was in the 1840s that the first Valentine's Day cards were mass-produced in the U.S., sold by Esther A. Howland. Known as the "Mother of the American Valentine," Howland is credited with commercializing Valentine's Day cards in America, and she is remembered for her elaborate, crafty cards made with lace and ribbons.


4. Nearly 850 million roses are grown in preparation for Valentine's Day each year.


There is a science to ensuring that there are enough fresh roses to go around when it comes to February 14. In an effort to provide the flowers for the holiday, countries including Ecuador, Kenya, or Columbia ship the roses to other countries, since they do not grow in the colder temperatures we experience in February.


5. The Valentine's Day gift that people spend the most on is jewelry.


Chocolate and flowers might be some of the most common gifts for Valentine's Day, but according to the National Retail Federation, the category that we typically spend the most on for February 14 is jewelry, at a whopping £2.8 billion in 2021! The second most-paid-for gift on Valentine's Day 2020 was an evening out with £2.3 billion, followed by clothing, candy and then flowers. 


6. Nearly 6 million couples get engaged on Valentine's Day. 


I mean, what better day is there for a marriage proposal than a day literally dedicated to love and romance? Valentine's Day is one of the popular days to pop the question, with as many as 6 million couples getting engaged on February 14 across the world!



CONTACT US
Share by:
Find us on StuRents