Gifting your sweet heart with red roses for Valentine's Day has become a tradition. In this blog, we delve deeper to find out when did it all start plus the quirkiest things people from around the world do on the month of love.
WE OWE IT TO SAINT VALENTINE
The holiday of love was named after Saint Valentine. While experts suggest that there were two or three significant personalities throughout history with the said name, including one who was a Roman Catholic pope, the most popular and widely accepted notion was that it was a martyr priest during the reign of Emperor Claudius II.
According to Brtiannica, Claudius was strongly against the idea of his young soldiers finding true love and getting married, out of fear that it would confuse them and that they would eventually rather be at home with their new wives than fight and die on the battlefield for the Roman Empire.
Against all odds, Saint Valentine disobeyed the emperor’s strict commands and secretly married soldiers and their fiancés. Saint Valentine was imprisoned and condemned to death. In his prison cell, young lovers allegedly sent him flowers and letters as a way of gratitude.
The unfortunate sentence was carried out on February 14, 270.
ROSES, THE OFFICIAL VALENTINE’S FLOWERS
Red roses are unbeatable as the bestselling Valentine’s Day flowers. An estimated 250 million long-stemmed roses are grown every year solely for this occasion.
So where did the tradition of gifting red roses for Valentine’s come from? Roses are the iconic love flowers because they have long been associated with expressing passion and romance, a flower meaning that’s been rooted in ancient Greek mythology.
“Some stories say that the first red rose was created when the Greek goddess Aphrodite was scratched by a white rose’s thorn, causing that rose to turn red,” Sara Cleto, Ph.D., a folklorist and cofounder of the Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, told Readers’ Digest. “Others say that the first red rose grew on the ground where Adonis, Aphrodite’s lover, died and the goddess’s tears fell,” she explained.
WHO IS CUPID?
Cupid is everywhere come February. This charming, diaper-wearing, bow-carrying, chubby-cheeked cherub gives hope that we all have a shot at true love.
But who is he anyway? To some, Cupid is the Angel of Love sent by God, on a mission to find each of us a soul mate or a match made in heaven as they say. In mythologies, Cupid is the little deity of love and the offspring of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty.
THE HIDDEN FLOWER MEANINGS OF ROSES
The Apple of My Eyes Roses, $550
How many roses are you planning to give your sweetheart on Valentine’s? Here’s a quick guide to give you an idea.
- A single red rose stands for love at first sight or “You’re still the one.”
- Two roses could mean the feeling is mutual.
- Three roses, as you may know, are “I love you.”
- Six roses if you want to say “I want to be yours,” or “Please be mine.”
- A dozen roses are for proposals or confessing love for the first time.
- But the grandest of all, exactly 101 roses mean “I’m crazy for you,” or “My love knows no bounds.”
Better start counting your roses. Learn more about Fascinating Facts About Your Favorite Roses.
V-DAY IS A ROMAN HOLIDAY
There are two theories as to how Valentine’s Day started. The conservative take is the common story of the martyrdom of Saint Valentine. But a bolder belief on Valentine’s Day origin is that it was inspired by the ancient festival celebrated in the city of Rome every February 15 called Lupercalia, linked to the Luperci, an association of priests.
Thought to be a pagan tradition to ward off evil spirits and to release health and fertility, Lupercalia rituals involve sacrificing dogs and goats, two young naked men laughing, cutting strips of skins from the sacrificial animals, and striking with it any young maiden they happen to pass by as a symbolic blessing of fertility.
Whichever of these stories are true, one thing is for sure, Valentine’s Day was started by the Romans.
TOP VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT IDEAS
Chocolates, Bubbly, & Diva, $750
Proving that V-Day is a big deal for most people, 2019 data reveals that over 135 million Americans went shopping for this occasion. What are they buying? Here's a list of Valentine's Day gifts most Americans spent their money on in 2020 according to the National Retail Federation
- Jewelry - $5.8 billion
- Romantic Dinner - $4.3 billion
- Valentine's Flowers - $2.3 billion
- Chocolates and Candy - $1.8 billion
Plus fact: 15% of women send themselves flowers. Why not, modern woman? Like that Ariana Grande song suggests, "I want it, I got it." Celebrate self-love with getting yourself a gorgeous V-Day flower arrangement from us!
AMERICANS LOVE SENDING V-DAY CARDS
Research by Hallmark reveals that 141 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent and received every year during the love month in the United States alone. It ranks second to the highest as a hit greeting cards giving season, right after Christmas.
BAY LEAVES FOR HUSBANDS
One weird and super old tradition in England for Valentine’s Day happens on the eve of the celebration. Women would put five pieces of fresh bay leaves, sometimes misted with rose water, on the center and at each end and corners of their pillows. Legends say doing so will bring maidens the sweetest dreams about their future husbands.
MILLIONS OF V-DAY PROPOSALS
Did you know that there are 220,000 in America and a whopping 6 million couples around the world get engaged each year during Valentine’s Day? February is the second peak proposal season favored by men next to Christmas.
A survey by James Allen, an online diamond and bridal jewelry retailer, revealed that 43 percent of millennials say Valentine's Day is their top day to propose or be proposed to.
NOT JUST FOR LOVERS BUT ALSO FRIENDS
In Finland, Valentine’s Day is not a day for love but friendship. Dubbed Ystävänpäivä, which is Saint Valentine’s Finnish name, they celebrate February 14 as Friendship Day or Day of the Friends.
Finns exchange greeting cards, flowers, teddy bears, and chocolates on this day, too. But instead of with their lovers alone, they do it with friends, colleagues, family members, neighbors – basically everyone they care about.
SPECIAL VALENTINE’S DAY FLOWER DELIVERY
If you’re wondering how to send flowers to someone on Valentine’s Day, let Orchid Republic take care of everything for you.
Buy Valentine’s Day flowers online and get same-day flower delivery anywhere in Los Angeles, Orange County, and Santa Monica. For inquiries about custom flower arrangements or services, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our friendly florists and staff will be happy to help you.
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