| Q#1 | Question: Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14, which coincides with which ancient Roman festival? |
| Q#2 | Question: How did Valentine’s Day get its name? |
| Q#3 | Question: Which pope declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day at the end of the fifth century? |
| Q#4 | Question: During which century did Valentine’s Day start to be associated with romance and love? |
| Q#5 | Question: Who wrote the 1375 poem “Parliament of Foules,” commonly believed to be the first record that depicts Valentine’s Day as a romantic day? |
| Q#6 | Question: Who is believed to have written the oldest Valentine that still exists today? |
| Q#7 | Question: Which English king declared Valentine’s Day a holiday in 1537? |
| Q#8 | Question: When were the first commercial Valentines printed in the United States? |
| Q#9 | Question: Who is credited with publishing the first commercial Valentine in the United States? |
| Q#10 | Question: While Valentine’s Day is associated with romance, some darker events have occurred on the holiday. In which U.S. city did the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre happen on February 14, 1929? |
| Q#11 | Question: What is Cupid the god of? |
| Q#12 | Question: Cupid is the Roman counterpart to which Greek god? |
| Q#13 | Question: Cupid is believed to carry arrows that have tips made of which two materials? |
| Q#14 | Question: The heart is a popular symbol used on Valentine’s Day. How did it get its shape? |
| Q#15 | Question: Red roses are often given as a sign of love and romance on Valentine’s Day. Which Greek goddess is associated with red roses? |
| Q#16 | Question: Which white bird is often associated with romance? (Hint: You may see plenty of them on Valentine’s Day cards. You may see them on some funny cards, too.) |
| Q#17 | Question: What do the “x” and “o” in “xoxo” mean? |
| Q#18 | Question: Which company created sweetheart candies? |
| Q#19 | Question: According to medieval Europeans, February 14 marked the beginning of mating season for which animals? |
| Q#20 | Question: Who is the man often credited with creating the first Valentine’s Day box of chocolates? |
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| A#1 | Answer: Lupercalia, a fertility festival. The festival was celebrated in honor of Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. |
| A#2 | Answer: The truth about Valentine’s Day is a bit mysterious. We know it’s named after St. Valentine, but who was he? Several legends explain who St. Valentine was, with one of the most popular theories being he was a priest who officiated the weddings of soldiers during the third century AD. During this time, Roman emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men in hopes of creating stronger soldiers. Legend has it that Claudius found out about St. Valentine’s actions and put him to death, making St. Valentine a martyr for love. |
| A#3 | Answer: Pope Gelasius |
| A#4 | Answer: The 14th century |
| A#5 | Answer: Geoffrey Chaucer |
| A#6 | Answer: Charles, Duke of Orleans. The Valentine is believed to be a poem he wrote to his wife in 1415. Yep, a love poem was used as a Valentine! |
| A#7 | Answer: King Henry VIII |
| A#8 | Answer: The mid-1800s |
| A#9 | Answer: Esther Howland. She started selling Valentines in her hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts, and was nicknamed “The Mother of the American Valentine.” She used colorful paper and lace to create her Valentine’s Day cards. |
| A#10 | Answer: Chicago |
| A#11 | Answer: Love |
| A#12 | Answer: Eros, the god of love |
| A#13 | Answer: Gold and lead. According to legend, if Cupid strikes someone with a gold arrow, they are filled with desire and love for their partner. If Cupid strikes them with a lead arrow, they fall out of love. |
| A#14 | Answer: There are several theories surrounding how the heart symbol came to be. One states that the heart symbol is based off the seedpod of silphium, an ancient plant believed to help with conception, love, and sex. Another theory states artist and scientists in the Middle Ages attempted to draw the heart the way it was described by ancient scholars, and the drawing stuck. |
| A#15 | Answer: Aphrodite. If red roses aren’t your thing, don’t worry. There are plenty of other rose colors that symbolize things like friendship and joy. |
| A#16 | Answer: The dove |
| A#17 | Answer: Hugs and kisses |
| A#18 | Answer: The New England Confectionery Company (Necco). Fun fact: Some of the most popular messages on those hearts, like “Be Mine” and “Kiss Me,” were first introduced back in 1902. |
| A#19 | Answer: Birds. That’s why it’s common to see birds on Valentine’s Day cards as symbols of the holiday. |
| A#20 | Answer: Richard Cadbury |
