"One legend has it that Valentine’s Day originated to commemorate the anniversary of the death of St. Valentine, a Roman clergyman who was executed on Feb. 14, about 270 A.D., for secretly marrying couples in defiance of the emperor. According to another, the holiday began as a Roman fertility festival. Americans probably began exchanging handmade valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther Howland, a native of Massachusetts, began to sell the nation’s first mass-produced valentine cards."
More fun facts and tidbits about the big heart day :
Census Bureau's Facts For Features includes number of marriages, romantic sounding places, and statistics on the three most common gifts : flowers, candy, and jewelry. Link to site
The History Channel's guide to Valentine History. Link to site
Love those candy hearts? Personalize your own (image) using the Acme Heart Maker : Link to site
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