Did You Know This?

Many people know the basic facts of Valentine’s Day. But, while doing some research, I found some random facts about Valentine’s that I didn’t know before, and I have decided to share these facts with you in this short article!

1. The first Valentine was sent from prison! In the early 15th century, the Duke of Orleans was imprisoned in the Tower of London. During this time, he wrote a poem (the first Valentine) to his wife, Bonne of Armagnac. You can check out the first Valentine using this link: First Valentine.

2. People in the Victorian Age used Valentines to discourage suitors. When you think of Valentine's, you may think of chocolate, flowers, poems, etc. However, this was not always the case. A person would buy a “Vinegar Valentine” to tell a person that they didn’t like them or were not interested in them. The card could be full of witty or cruel commentary and often features insults and rejections. While I definitely don’t recommend doing that in today’s time, it was certainly efficient in getting a point across! Here is a link if you want to learn more about this: Vinegar Valentines

3.  “Conversation Hearts” originated as medicine! In 1847, a pharmacist, Oliver Chase, began to roll ropes of dough that he made (typically the dough was made from brown sugar, peppermint, and gum arabic). He would then cut them into tablets and would sell them to apothecaries, where people bought them for minor sickness, such as colds, sore throats, headaches, etc. Years later, Oliver’s brother found a way to put words on the “medicine,” and they cut them into many different shapes before they became famous for their heart shape. So if your parents ever get onto you for eating too many Conversation Hearts, you can simply tell them that it’s your medicine! Conversation Hearts

4. “Wear your heart on your sleeve” originated in medieval competitions. While in a joust, knights would tie a handkerchief or scarf, given to them by a woman that they were interested in, around their arm. This showed everyone who the knight liked, and led to the well-known phrase. The phrase was also used in several Shakespearean plays, but was believed to be inspired by these knights. Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve!

5. Color of the roses. Finally, the color of the rose you receive does have a meaning to it! Traditionally, red roses symbolize love and passion, yellow symbolizes joy and friendship, lavender represents wonder and enchantment, pink roses symbolize elegance and sweetness, and white symbolizes young love and innocence. So, if you’re buying roses, keep these meanings in mind! To find what different color roses mean, check out this link: Rose Color Meanings.