Happy Valentine’s Day! Here’s hoping today lives up to your expectations, but in any case, here are some genuinely interesting facts to celebrate. Did you know that…

Valentine’s Day has its origins in a bloody Pagan festival

Some trace it to a Christian effort to replace a Pagan fertility festival from as far back as the 6th century BC During the festival of Lupercalia, Roman priests would sacrifice goats and dogs and use their blood-soaked hides to slap women on the streets as a fertility blessing. According to legend, women would later put their names in an urn and be selected to be paired with a man for a year. 

Thousands send letters to Juliet each year

Every year, thousands of romantics send letters to Verona in Italy addressed to ‘Juliet’, the heroine of Shakespeare’s tragedy which was set in that town. The letters are dutifully answered by a team of volunteers and each year, the “Cara Giulietta” (“Dear Juliet”) prize is awardedto the author of the most touching love letter.

A ‘vinegar valentine’ would discourage suitors

During Victorian times, those who didn’t want the attention of certain suitors would anonymously send ‘vinegar valentines.’ These cards, also called penny dreadfuls, would comically insult and reject unwanted admirers. They were later used to target suffragettes in the late 19th and early 20th century.

The origin of ‘wearing your heart on your sleeve’

The term may have originated in the Middle Ages, where Roman men participating in a festival honouring Juno would draw the names of women who they would be coupled with for the upcoming year. After choosing, the men wore the names on their sleeves to show their bond during the festivities.

How ‘X’ came to represent a kiss

The idea of using a kiss as an affectionate sign-off has a long history. The use of ‘X’ came to represent Christianity, or the cross, in the Middle Ages. During the same time, the symbol was used to sign documents. After marking with an X, the writer would often kiss the mark as a sign of their oath. These records would be described as having been ‘sealed with a kiss’.

Do you have any fun Valentine’s facts you’d like us to add? We’d love to hear form you – email us at info@keepitcool.co.uk.