Valentine’s Day – treat your loved one this February

Valentine’s Day is a special event that’s celebrated every year.

On the 14th February, people enjoy giving gifts to their loved ones as a way to show their love and appreciation for each other.

From boxes of chocolates to bunches of flowers, there are lots of different gifts that people like to give on Valentine’s Day.

You don’t need to spend lots of money on Valentine’s Day to celebrate it. The festival is all about love after all!

A simple homemade card with a kind message inside, or even saying something nice to someone special to you, is a great way to spread love on Valentine’s Day.

In the UK, one in five people buy a Valentine’s Day gift for their pet, spending a total of £27 million!

● In the UK, £1.3 billion is spent on Valentine’s Day every year.

● Cupid is a common symbol of Valentine’s Day. He was the Roman god of love and the son of Venus and Mars.

● In 1537, King Henry VIII declared Valentine’s Day a national holiday in England. This was when he was married to his third wife Jane Seymour.

● Nearly 200 million roses are sold in the USA on Valentine’s Day.

● About 10% of marriage proposals are made on Valentine’s Day. In Denmark, snowdrops are given to loved ones rather than roses.

● In Wales, St Dwynwen’s Day is celebrated on 25th January. St Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of love and friendship.

● In Germany, giant ginger biscuits shaped like hearts are popular gifts on Valentine’s Day. Love messages, such as ‘ich liebe dich’ (I love you), are written in the centre of the biscuit.

● In Romania, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on 24th February. On that day, there are a few different traditions. Couples get engaged, wash their faces in the snow for good luck or go to the forest to pick colourful flowers.

● In Estonia, Sobrapaev, a special festival for friends and families, not just couples, is celebrated on 14th February.

● An old Italian ritual would involve women waking up before dawn. The first man that they saw on Valentine’s Day would become their husband within the year!