Where did Valentine’s Day come from?

Despite its popularity today, Valentine’s Day has dark and negative origins. What started as a celebration of love and death has slowly transformed into the holiday we know today.

Valentine’s Day rose in popularity in England during the seventeenth century. By the eighteenth century, friends and lovers were exchanging letters and gifts everywhere. It wasn’t until the 1840s that mass-produced valentines were sold.

According to the National Retail Foundation, Americans spend over $20 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts and exchange 145 million cards each year. We have come a long way since the birth of this loved holiday centuries ago.

– Nic Armbruster, The Oklahoma 100