What do people think when Valentine's Day comes around? The keywords would be love, romance, and connections. But do those people know why those words are so commonly thought of? Valentine’s Day dates back to as far as the Romans. There are multiple versions of how Valentine’s Day started; however, the most agreed upon is that a man named Valentine was killed for helping Christians escape Roman prosecution and fell in love with the jailor's daughter, giving her the first ‘valentine’. He is often referred to as St. Valentine, the patron of this holiday.

Cupid is another name closely related to Valentine’s Day. Cupid is the Roman god of love and attraction, and in Greek mythology, he is known as Eros. He is a handsome god whose arrows cause love or hate, but is now portrayed as an infant child with wings. While his golden arrows represent love and happiness, his leaden arrows are one to watch out for. They represent hate and sorrow when struck. Because of his reputation and connection to love, Cupid has become the mascot of Valentine’s Day and is commonly seen on valentines.

Valentines were given out in many forms, the first being valentine's greetings in the Middle Ages. After the 1400s, people began making poems and notes to give to their lovers and friends. By the 1900s, printed cards were more accessible than letters. Today, around 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are given to others. In fact, card giving is so popular that it places this holiday at number 2 as the biggest card-giving event in the year.

Cards are not the only form of devotion exchanged. People swap many different gifts, like red roses, a popular gift since their color symbolizes love and passion, chocolates, and even hearts. Hearts have been related to Valentine’s Day for a long time because they represent compassion and love. People have associated chocolates for the same reason. The tradition of chocolate-giving was started by a candy maker named Richard Cadbury, who created and sold the first heart-shaped chocolate box decorated with roses and Cupids. They became popular in many places, making chocolates to loved ones a staple on Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day has come a long way - from the Roman festival, Lupercalia, which celebrated the Roman god of agriculture, Faunus, and the Roman founders Remus and Romulus, to the transfer of love letters to the modern era, where it has become a commercialized holiday.