Most of the items linked to Valentine's Day came from old-fashioned customs that used lace handkerchiefs and floral bouquets to pass on non-verbal messages.
When the custom went out of style for everyday use, the original meaning was lost and eventually they became part of the Valentine's Day tradition.
Giving flowers dates back to the 1700s when Charles II of Sweden introduced the Persian custom of "the language of flowers" to Europe. Books about the meanings of particular flowers were published, and entire conversations could be carried out using only a bouquet of flowers.
The rose has become the traditional Valentine's Day flower. As it has always been a popular flower, the meaning of the red rose is still well known as the flower of passion and love. The red rose is also the favorite flower of Venus, the goddess of love, which helped give the rose its symbolic meaning.
Centuries ago, a woman would drop her handkerchief in front of the man she liked. This was a form of encouragement to him, and if he picked it up for her an introduction could be made. Lace has always been part of women's handkerchiefs, and it has since been linked to romance.
He is the winged child whose arrows are shot into the hearts of potential lovers. His victims are supposed to fall deeply in love with someone. In both Greek and Roman mythology Cupid is the son of the goddess of love and is always part of celebration of love and lovers.
The heart is linked to Valentine's Day because it was once considered the source of all human emotions. The custom of drawing a heart shape is believed to come from early attempts to draw an organ no one had ever seen. The symbol progressed to become known as a sign of love.
Why does an X mean a kiss?
In the Middle Ages, a lot of people couldn't read or write. When they had to sign a document, they would make an X in place of their name. In front of witnesses the signer would kiss the X to show themselves trustworthy. The kiss has since come to be represented by an X.
It's for the birds:
Lovebirds are often part of Valentine's Day. Found in Africa, these brightly colored birds sit very close together with their mates, earning them their name.
Doves are also part of the tradition. They are symbols of love and loyalty because they mate for life. A pair of doves will also share the care of all their babies.
Did you know?
A love knot is a symbol of everlasting love, because its winding loops have no beginnings or ends. In times past, they were made of ribbon or drawn on paper to prove ones undying love.
- Valentine's Day and Mother's Day are the biggest holidays for giving flowers.
- One of the earliest Valentine's Day gifts were candies. The most common were chocolates in heart shaped boxes.
- Mostly men buy the millions of boxes of candy and the millions of bouquets of flowers produced for each Valentine's Day.
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