Do You Know the Origin of Valentine's Day?

We all love Valentine's Day. Yes, pun was intended. It's just flat out the most romantic day of the year. And, no big surprise here, it's also the single day when the most proposals of marriage are made.

But where did Valentine's Day start? Sure, it happens to be the feast day of St. Valentine. But that turns out to be not the reason we celebrate love on February 14th. We celebrate love for a different reason.

Valentine was the name of a martyr who choose to marry people when marriage was illegal. He even did that from prison. Now that is someone who loves marriage.

But the idea of sending cards and gifts to your loved one came about much later in history. That started in the Middle Ages in English royal courts. Then the mid-1800s brought us more fun by way of mass producing greeting cards.

Nice to know that Valentine's Day didn't start as a marketing idea from Hallmark, isn't it?

Giving gifts was a marketing idea though. The diamond industry started promoting jewelry for Valentine's Day gifts. Of course, I think the chocolate makers were flat out thrilled by that!

Did you know that February 14th is not the only Valentine's Day around the world? Yep, there are others. It entirely depends on which saint or special person feast day is associated with love. That determines what the day actually is. But, the whole world does get the chance to celebrate love.

So do your part this year to continue the Valentine's Day tradition. Maybe even put together a fabulous romantic dinner for your loved one.