The history of Valentine’s Day is full of mystery and uncertainty. According to History.com, this holiday, which is celebrated by 62% of people worldwide, began with a festival in ancient Rome in mid February called Lubrical.

    It is unknown who this holiday really revolves around as there were multiple Saint Valentines in our nation’s  history. One of these men was actually sentenced to death after secretly performing marriage ceremonies when Claudius II banned marriage. It is believed by many people that this holiday was created by Pope Gelasius as he honored this soft-hearted Saint Valentine for risking his life in order to allow others to be happy.

    According to History.com, It wasn’t until the 1300s that this holiday began to be associated with love and romance. Before this time, people believed that February 14 simply marked the first day of birds’ mating season. People began to write Valentine’s Day greetings in the beginning of the 15th century, which is a tradition which still exists today. This tradition spread to the United States, where people soon began to buy gifts to go along with their Valentine’s Day cards or greetings.

    The first mass produced Valentine’s Day cards began to make their way into stores in 1840. A holiday which began with a card or greeting grew to become a holiday in which each person spends on average of $131 a year on his/her significant other in the United States.