Teens in Ladera

Article by Gabriella Bensadoun

Valentine's Day is a famous holiday celebrated worldwide. It often includes roses, hearts, and many chocolates. But have you ever wondered about the origin of Valentine’s Day? It actually began as a celebration of Saint Valentine, the patron saint of couples and happy marriages. The first mention of the modern Valentine’s Day traditions was in a 1375 poem named “The Parliament of Fowls” written by George Chaucer. This poem is about birds finding their mates on February 14th, Saint Valentine’s day. Over the years, it changed into the holiday that it is today. Nowadays, people celebrate the day of love with their partner, going on dates and buying romantic gifts. People also celebrate friendship on Valentine’s Day.

Each year the average person spends about $200 on Valentine’s Day, whether that be for their loved one, family, or any other special person in their life. A lot of people must be participating in the holiday because over $1 billion of chocolate is bought and more than 145 million greeting cards are exchanged every year for Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate wasn’t always a symbol of love, in fact, doctors used to prescribe chocolate to people who suffered from a broken heart. Also, sweet candy hearts actually began as lozenges. It seems most of the candy gifted on Valentine’s Day used to be medicine! There are many other ways to show your appreciation for someone though, without spending a lot of money on Valentine’s Day. Homemade presents and spending time together are often the most cherished gifts.