|
Valentine's Day, on February
|
the giving of all manner
|
|
14th, is the traditional day
|
GIFTS, usually from
|
|
on which LOVERS in the
|
the MAN to the WOMAN.
|
|
west let each other know
|
Such gifts typically include
|
|
about their love. Its
|
ROSES and CHOCOLATE.
|
|
obscure origins as a
|
Starting in the 1980s, the
|
|
CATHOLIC CHURCH
|
DIAMOND industry began
|
|
feast day were said to be
|
to promote Valentine's
|
|
in honor of SAINT
|
day as occasion for the
|
|
VALENTINE. The day
|
giving of fine JEWELRY.
|
|
could not have become
|
|
|
associated with romantic
|
A DINNER date on Valentine's
|
|
love before the HIGH
|
Day is often regarded as
|
|
MIDDLE AGES when
|
indicating that a dating
|
|
such concepts were
|
couple is involved in a
|
|
formulated.
|
SERIOUS relationship.
|
|
|
|
|
The day is now most
|
In the United States the
|
|
closely associated with
|
day has come to be
|
|
the mutual exchange of
|
associated as well with
|
|
LOVE NOTES in the
|
a generic Platonic greeting
|
|
form of "valentines".
|
of "Happy Valentine's",
|
|
Modern Valentine symbols
|
which may be said by
|
|
include the HEART
|
men to their FEMALE
|
|
SHAPED outline and
|
friends, but rarely to
|
|
the figure of the winged
|
other MALE friends.
|
|
CUPID. Starting in
|
|
|
the 19th century, the
|
LOVERS
|
|
practice of hand writing
|
CATHOLIC CHURCH
|
|
notes has largely given
|
SAINT VALENTINE
|
|
way to the exchange
|
HIGH MIDDLE AGES
|
|
of mass-produced
|
LOVE NOTES
|
|
GREETING CARDS.
|
HEART SHAPED
|
|
The GREETING CARD
|
CUPID
|
|
Association estimates
|
GREETING CARDS
|
|
that world-wide approximately
|
GREETING CARD
|
|
ONE BILLION valentine
|
ONE BILLION
|
|
cards are sent each
|
SECOND LARGEST
|
|
year, making the day
|
CHRISTMAS
|
|
the SECOND LARGEST
|
WOMEN
|
|
card-sending holiday of
|
GIFTS
|
|
the year behind CHRISTMAS.
|
MAN
|
|
The association also estimates
|
WOMAN
|
|
that WOMEN purchase
|
ROSES
|
|
approximately 85 percent
|
CHOCOLATE
|
|
of all valentines.
|
DIAMOND
|
|
|
JEWELRY
|
|
In the United States in
|
DINNER
|
|
the second half of the
|
SERIOUS
|
|
20th century, the practice
|
FEMALE
|
|
of exchanging cards has
|
MALE
|
|
been extended to include
|
|