It’s hard to know anything for 100% certain, but most people believe that the concept began after Emperor Claudius II banned anybody from getting married during a time of war. Bishop Valentine wed people against the ruler’s orders and was jailed. Before he was executed, he wrote a letter to the jailor’s daughter, closing with, “from your Valentine”.

During the Victorian era, people thought it bad luck to put a signature on a Valentine’s card.

Retail statistics in the United States suggest that around 3 out of every 100 pet owners will give a Valentine’s Day gift to their pet.