When you think of present-day Valentine's Day, you picture hearts, candy, cards, and sharing your love with all of those around you! It can be such a fun time of year to remind everyone close to you that they're loved. We spend a lot of time thinking of those around us during this time of year, but have you ever stopped to think about why we celebrate?
There are many theories on what the true story of Valentine's Day is but most commonly told is the story of Emperor Claudius and a priest named Valentine. This Valentine's Day story starts all the way back around 270 A.D. Do you know how long ago that was? It was said that Emperor Claudius II of Rome banned marriage because he believed single men made mightier soldiers. Understandably, many people didn't want to follow this rule and sought out ways to secretly get married.
A priest named Valentine was particularly upset by this ruling and decided to secretly marry couples looking to spend their lives together. He was able to marry couples in love for a couple of years before eventually getting caught and executed. Can you guess the day of his execution?
We now spend February 14th of each year celebrating love in honor of Valentine and that's the story of Valentine's Day!
Valentine's Day Fun Facts
Billions of dollars every single year are spent on Valentine's Day gifts, cards, candy, and flowers.
Valentine's Day was officially declared a holiday in 1537 by King Henry VIII.
The most popular gift to give is flowers.
Valentine's Day is celebrated all over the world. Each culture practices its own unique traditions.
Valentine's Day isn't just for 2 people in love. Valentine's gifts for pets are also growing in popularity!
What are some of your favorite Valentine's Day traditions??
Our hands-on learning STEM Subscription Box will not disappoint! GIGIL STEM Kits are a great opportunity to bring STEM Education home in a fun and interactive way. Did you know GIGIL STEM Kits accept charter funds? If you'd like us to apply to become a vendor for your charter school, email us at hello@gigilstemkits.com!