Here are some random facts about valentine that you just need to know.
1. History
The most popular theory about Valentine’s Day origin is that Emperor Claudius the 2nd didn’t want Roman men to marry during wartime. But Bishop Valentine went against his wishes and performed secret weddings. When his actions was discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Bishop Valentine was jailed and executed on February 14 around the year 278AD, he was beheaded. Allegedly, While in jail he wrote a note to the jailor’s daughter signing it “from your Valentine”.
2. Valentine messages
Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, though written Valentine’s didn’t begin to appear until after 1400. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. (Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois. Source
3. Celebrating valentine during the Middle ages
During the middle Ages, people believed that the first unmarried person of the opposite sex you met on the morning of St. Valentine’s Day would become your spouse.
4. Tradition of drawing names from a bowl
Back then in the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who would be their ‘valentine’. The single women’s names would be added to an vase and single men of the town would take a name out and pin it to their sleeves for one whole week. This would allow everyone in the town to see who their valentine was. Valentine made easy.
5. Condom sales on Valentine’s day
According to the condom company ‘Durex’, condom sales are highest around Valentine’s Day, which are 20– 30% higher than usual. Also, More at-home pregnancy tests are sold in March than in any other month.
6. Valentine cards
Over 50 percent of all Valentine’s Day cards are purchased in the six day prior to the holiday and mostly by men, making Valentine’s Day a procrastinator’s delight.
7. Lupacalia
While some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to honor the anniversary of Valentine’s death, others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia.
EXTRA
8. Banned from celebrating valentines day
In Saudi Arabia, Valentine’s Day is banned by the kingdom’s religious police. Women and men sit separately in restaurants and public displays of affection are taboo.
Five Saudis were sent to a total of 39 years in prison, as well as 4,500 lashes between them, was upheld. Their crime, they had been found dancing with six women they were unrelated to on Valentine’s Day. Other countries that has allegedly banned the celebration of valentine includes IRAN, Malaysia, Pakistan, India etc.
