Facts about Valentine's Day

The Price of Love

♥Men spend almost twice as much on Valentine’s Day as women do.

♥More than one-third of men would prefer not receiving a gift. Less than 20 percent of women feel the same way.

♥Around this season, a dozen long-stemmed roses can cost an average of 30% more than the normal price.

♥More than nine million pet owners are expected to buy gifts for their pets this Valentine's Day.

♥15 percent of women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.

The Birds and the Bees

♥According to the condom company Durex, condom sales are highest around Valentine's Day, which are 20 percent to 30 percent higher than usual.

♥More at-home pregnancy tests are sold in March than in any other month.

The Choo Choo Choose You

♥Teachers receive the most valentines, followed by kids, mothers, wives and sweethearts.

♥Over 50 percent of all Valentine's Day cards are purchased in the six days prior to the holiday.

♥The oldest surviving valentine dates from 1415. It is a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife. At the time, the duke was being held in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt.

♥One billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making it the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.

♥Hallmark produced its first valentine in 1913.

Love Around the World

♥In Japan, women are expected to give chocolate and other gifts to men on Valentine's Day. This tradition was started as a marketing campaign by Japanese chocolate companies. Men are not off the hook, unfortunately. They are expected to return the favor on March 14th, commonly known as White Day.

♥"I love you" in German is "Ich liebe dich."

History, Legends & Rumors

♥The roots of St. Valentine's Day can be traced back to the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia. On Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman in a lottery and would then keep the woman as a sexual companion for the year.

♥In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. Today, to wear your heart on your sleeve means being transparent with your affections.

♥Three different Saint Valentines have been mentioned by the martyrologies of the Roman Catholic Church.

♥The Catholic Church struck St. Valentine’s Day from its official calendar in 1969.

♥The phrase "Sweets for the sweet" is a line from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 1.

♥For every 120 single men who are in their 20s, there are 100 single women in the same age range.

Candles

Songs to Make My Summer Sweeter

Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl

Beach Boys - Surfin USA

The Hollies - I'm Alive

Jeff Beck - High Ho Silver Lining

The Kinks - Sunny Afternoon

The Trogs - With A Girl Like You

The Turtles - Elenore

Damien Marley - Welcome to Jamrock

Jason Mraz - I'm Yours

The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Regina Spektor - Us

Mungo Jerry - In the Summertime

Mumm-Ra - She's Got You High

Meaghan Smith - Here Comes Your Man

Carla Bruni - Quelqu'un M'a Dit

Black Lips - Bad Kids

Black Eyed Peas - Don't Lie

The Beatles - Octopus's Garden

The Blue Van - There Goes My Love

Bob Dylan - I Want You

How to Make a Daisy Chain

öGather some daisies. Look for daisies with short but thick stems, as this will make them stronger. Healthy, fully opened ones are best.

öMake a small slit in the base of the stem. Be careful not to go all the way to the bottom.

öThread the stem of another daisy through the slit.

öRepeat this process with more daisies.

öWhen you are satisfied with the length of your chain, thread the stem of the last daisy through a small slit at the top of the first stem.

And voilà! The perfect summer accessory.

Mistletoe

Kissing under the Mistletoe has long been a tradition, dating back to the time of the Druids. The Druids considered it to be a sacred plant and believed it had miraculous properties which could cure illnesses, serve as an antidote against poisons, ensure fertility and protect against the ill effects of witchcraft. Moreover, whenever enemies met under the mistletoe in the forest, they had to lay down their arms and observe a truce until the next day. From this has seemingly come the ancient custom of hanging a ball of mistletoe from the ceiling and exchanging kisses under it as a sign of friendship and goodwill.

Another version, however, says that this custom, which was widespread among the Anglo-Saxons, was connected to the legend of Freya, goddess of love, beauty and fertility. According to legend, a man had to kiss any young girl who, without realizing it, found herself accidentally under a sprig of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling.

Even if the pagan significance has been long forgotten, the custom of exchanging a kiss under the mistletoe can still be found in many European countries as well as in Canada. Thus if a couple in love exchanges a kiss under the mistletoe, it is interpreted as a promise to marry, as well as a prediction of happiness and long life. In France, the custom linked to mistletoe was reserved for New Year’s Day: "Au gui l’An neuf" (Mistletoe for the New Year). Today, kisses can be exchanged under the mistletoe any time during the holiday season.