Love is one of the most beautiful feelings one can experience, and thus, to express those emotions to your loved ones, Valentine's Day is celebrated on Feb. 14 every year. In fact, not just one day but an entire week is celebrated in different ways.
Valentine's Week starts with Rose Day has its last celebration of Kiss Day, and then the big celebration takes place: Valentine's Day. People gift chocolates, roses, teddy bears, customised articles, greeting cards and other gift items to their partners during this week.
The day of romance has been celebrated in various ways over the years. Here are a few interesting facts of V-Day that are not known to many people.
- The most popular theory about the origin of Valentine's Day is Emperor Claudius II didn't want Roman men to marry during wartime. However, a saint named Valentine went against his wishes and performed secret weddings. For this, Valentine was jailed and executed. While in jail he wrote a note to the jailor's daughter signing it – "from your Valentine".
- Each year, over 50 million roses are given for Valentine's Day worldwide.
- Richard Cadbury was the person who introduced the first Valentine's Day box of chocolates in 1868.
- Every V-Day, the Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare's fictional loverbirds Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet.
- The Roman goddess of love Venus' favourite flower was the red rose.
- In 1537, England's King Henry VII officially declared Feb. 14 as the holiday of St. Valentine's Day.
- In Victorian times, it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine's Day card.
Check out the slideshow above for Valentine's Day picture messages.
