Valentine’s Day Trivia Questions: Love, Legends and Little-Known Lore
Here's a fun Valentine's Day fact ❤️: Ancient Romans celebrated the holiday by running through the streets half-naked, whipping people with goat hide. And that's just the beginning of this holiday's wild history.
We've packed this guide with the best Valentine's Day trivia and surprising stories about the world's most romantic holiday. You'll discover ancient love poems, billion-dollar chocolate empires, and even a city that gets buried in Valentine's mail every February. Plus, each fact comes with the fascinating historical background that made it possible. Now, let's get to it!
Valentine's Day Trivia Quiz:
What percentage of people who own pets give them a Valentine's Day gift?
27%
Fun fact: This percentage has been steadily rising since the 2010s, with millennials leading the trend. The most popular Valentine's gifts for pets? Specialty treats and squeaky toys shaped like hearts, though some devoted pet parents go as far as booking doggy spa days or "fancy feast" dinners for their cats.
Which 20th-century invention revolutionized the Valentine's Day candy industry by allowing chocolates to be filled with different flavors?
The chocolate mold
Fun fact: Before the invention of chocolate molds in 1912, filled chocolates were incredibly time-consuming to make and often looked quite messy. The mold didn't just change Valentine's Day - it revolutionized the entire chocolate industry, allowing for mass production of filled chocolates that previously had to be hand-dipped by skilled craftsmen.
What term is used to describe the fear of love or falling in love?
Philophobia
Fun fact: While philophobia comes from the Greek words "philos" (love) and "phobos" (fear), ancient Greeks didn't actually have a word for this condition. The term was coined by modern psychologists in the 20th century. Ironically, people with philophobia often desperately want to find love but are paralyzed by their fear of emotional vulnerability.
What is the estimated amount of money spent on Valentine's Day gifts and celebrations worldwide each year?
Over $20 billion
Fun fact: This makes Valentine's Day the third most expensive holiday for consumers, after Christmas and Back-to-School season. Even more surprising? About $1.7 billion of that is spent on gifts for pets!
Which country celebrates "Friend's Day" (Ystävänpäivä) instead of Valentine's Day, focusing on friendship rather than romance?
Finland
Fun fact: The Finnish celebration is actually much more inclusive than traditional Valentine's Day. Schools often organize card exchanges where everyone must give a card to every classmate, ensuring no one feels left out. This tradition has led to Finland having one of the highest rates of card-sending per capita in the world during their February celebration.
Which famous 19th-century entrepreneur is credited with popularizing mass-produced Valentine's Day cards in the United States?
Esther Howland
Howland's entrepreneurial journey began when she received an elaborate English valentine, which inspired her to create her own versions. In 1849, at the age of 19, she crafted a dozen sample valentines and had her brother take them on his sales trips3. The response was overwhelming, with orders exceeding $5,000, a significantly epic sum at the time.
Which social media platform sees a major spike in relationship status updates around Valentine's Day?
Fun fact: The two days with the highest number of relationship status changes on Facebook are Valentine's Day... and the day after. While February 14th sees the most "In a relationship" updates, February 15th historically sees the highest number of changes to "Single." Talk about a romantic rollercoaster!
Which U.S. state grows the most domestically produced roses for Valentine's Day?
California
Fun fact: While California leads U.S. production, it only accounts for about 20% of roses sold on Valentine's Day in America. The vast majority (around 80%) come from Colombia and Ecuador, where the high altitude and consistent climate create perfect growing conditions year-round.
What popular Valentine's Day gift was first introduced by Richard Cadbury in the 1860s?
The heart-shaped chocolate box
Fun fact: Richard Cadbury wasn't just a clever chocolatier - he was also an accomplished artist who personally designed many of the early heart-shaped boxes. The boxes were so beautifully decorated that Victorians would keep them as jewelry boxes and love letter storage long after the chocolates were gone, making them one of the earliest examples of sustainable packaging!
Which city, known as the "City of Love," receives thousands of Valentine's Day letters addressed to Juliet from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet?
Verona, Italy
Fun fact: The city actually employs a team of volunteers called "Juliet's Secretaries" who read and respond to over 50,000 letters annually! These modern-day Cupids write back to every single letter, continuing a tradition that's been going strong since the 1930s.
Which U.S. city shares its name with a romantic holiday and receives thousands of love letters every year for postmarking?
Valentine, Nebraska
Fun fact: This tiny town of just 2,700 people handles over 300,000 pieces of mail around Valentine's Day. The town's post office has been creating special postmarks (called pictorial cancellations) since 1941, and collectors consider them prized possessions.
In what decade did Hallmark begin mass-producing Valentine's Day cards?
1910s
Fun fact: While Hallmark started the mass production in 1913, the company actually began as a postcard business run by teenager Joyce Hall from two shoeboxes at a Kansas City YMCA in 1910. He initially sold Valentine's postcards but realized people wanted more privacy for their romantic messages - thus the envelope-enclosed card was born!
Which ancient civilization is known for writing some of the earliest recorded romantic poetry?
The Egyptians
Fun fact: The oldest known love poem was written on a clay tablet from ancient Egypt around 2000 BCE. It starts with "You have captured my heart with your beauty," and was likely a hymn sung to Hathor, the goddess of love. Talk about setting a high bar for Valentine's Day cards!
What color rose symbolizes friendship rather than romantic love?
Yellow
Fun fact: The yellow rose wasn't always so friendly - in Victorian times, it actually symbolized jealousy and infidelity! The meaning shifted in the 20th century, possibly due to the cheerful nature of the color and its association with the sun. Today, it's the go-to flower for celebrating friendship and congratulations.
Which love-related Greek word describes the deep, unconditional love often associated with parental or selfless affection?
Agape
Fun fact: While ancient Greeks had four distinct words for love (eros, philia, storge, and agape), agape was considered the highest form. Early Christian texts adopted this word specifically to describe God's love for humanity. It's also the only one of the four Greek love words that never appears in negative context in ancient texts.
Which ancient Roman festival is believed to have influenced the modern celebration of Valentine's Day?
Lupercalia
Fun fact: Lupercalia was actually a bizarre fertility festival where young men would run through Rome's streets nearly naked, whipping women with strips of goat hide! The women actively sought out these whippings, believing they would increase fertility. The Christian church likely chose mid-February for St. Valentine's feast day specifically to override this rather wild pagan celebration.
Who is the legendary figure that Valentine's Day is named after?
Saint Valentine
Fun fact: There were actually at least three different Saint Valentines recognized by the Catholic Church, all martyred! The most famous one supposedly wrote the first "valentine" letter himself - to his jailer's daughter, whom he had befriended and possibly cured of blindness. He signed it "From your Valentine," creating a phrase we still use today.
Which country is credited with the first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love?
England
Fun fact: The first written connection between Valentine's Day and romance appeared in Geoffrey Chaucer's "Parliament of Fowls" in 1375. The poem suggests that birds choose their mates on February 14th - which is peculiar since British birds typically don't mate until spring. Some scholars believe Chaucer may have been referring to a different St. Valentine's Day in May!
Approximately how many Valentine's Day cards are exchanged worldwide each year?
~1 billion (with 145 million in the US)
Fun fact: This makes Valentine's Day the second-largest card-sending holiday after Christmas. Even more surprising? Teachers receive the most Valentine's Day cards annually, beating out wives, mothers, and sweethearts. Who knew educators were such valentines VIPs?
In which country do women traditionally give men chocolates on Valentine's Day, with men returning the favor on White Day?
Japan
Fun fact: This tradition was actually started by a chocolate company's marketing mistake! In 1936, Morozoff Ltd. advertised Valentine's chocolates for foreigners living in Japan, but due to a translation error, it was suggested that women should give chocolate to men. The custom stuck, and in 1978, the National Confectionery Industry Association invented "White Day" to boost sales even further.
Which flower is MOST commonly associated with Valentine's Day?
Rose
Fun fact: The red rose became associated with romance thanks to its connection to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. According to mythology, red roses grew from her tears and the blood of her lover, Adonis. Victorian-era flower enthusiasts took this association to the next level by creating an entire "language of flowers" where each color and number of roses conveyed a specific message.
What is the name of the iconic heart-shaped candies with short messages like "Be Mine" and "Love You" printed on them?
Conversation Hearts
Fun fact: These candies were accidentally invented by a pharmacist! In 1847, Boston pharmacist Oliver Chase created a machine to make medicinal lozenges more efficiently. The machine was so successful that he abandoned his pharmacy career to start NECCO, and by 1866, his brother Daniel had invented a way to print messages on the candies. Each year, about 8 billion conversation hearts are produced - enough to stretch from Rome to Valentine, Arizona and back 20 times!
Which famous monument in India was built as a symbol of love by Emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal?
The Taj Mahal
Fun fact: While the Taj Mahal is famous as a symbol of love, it's also an architectural marvel of precision. The four minarets surrounding the main dome were built at a slight angle facing outward - not for aesthetic reasons, but as an ingenious safety measure. If they ever collapsed, they would fall away from the main structure rather than damaging it!
Which historical figure was known for sending one of the earliest recorded Valentine's Day letters while imprisoned in the Tower of London?
Charles, Duke of Orléans
Fun fact: The Duke wrote this valentine poem to his wife in 1415 while he was a prisoner of war after the Battle of Agincourt. He spent 25 years in captivity, during which he wrote over 500 poems! His valentine poem to his wife began "Je suis desja d'amour tanné" ("I am already sick of love"), which might be the most honest valentine ever written.
Which flower, other than roses, is commonly associated with love and given on Valentine's Day?
Tulips
Fun fact: During the Dutch "Tulip Mania" of the 1630s, a single tulip bulb could cost more than a house! This was the first recorded economic bubble in history. The most expensive bulb ever sold was the Semper Augustus - and giving one as a Valentine's gift would be like gifting someone a luxury car today.
Which ancient Roman god is often associated with Valentine's Day due to his role in love and desire?
Cupid
Fun fact: Cupid wasn't always depicted as the cute baby cherub we know today. In early Roman art, he was shown as a handsome young man with wings! The transformation into a chubby baby happened during the Renaissance when artists began portraying him as a mischievous child to symbolize love's playful and irrational nature.
What is the name of the iconic heart-shaped candies with short messages like "Be Mine" and "Love You" printed on them?
Conversation Hearts
Fun fact: These candies were accidentally invented by a pharmacist! In 1847, Boston pharmacist Oliver Chase created a machine to make medicinal lozenges more efficiently. The machine was so successful that he abandoned his pharmacy career to start NECCO, and by 1866, his brother Daniel had invented a way to print messages on the candies. Each year, about 8 billion conversation hearts are produced - enough to stretch from Rome to Valentine, Arizona and back 20 times!
Which famous monument in India was built as a symbol of love by Emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal?
The Taj Mahal
Fun fact: While the Taj Mahal is famous as a symbol of love, it's also an architectural marvel of precision. The four minarets surrounding the main dome were built at a slight angle facing outward - not for aesthetic reasons, but as an ingenious safety measure. If they ever collapsed, they would fall away from the main structure rather than damaging it!
What century did the tradition of celebrating love on Valentine's Day begin?
Late 14th Century
Fun fact: The first recorded Valentine's Day celebration occurred while King Richard II of England was on the throne - the same king who inspired Shakespeare's play! The king was actually married to Anne of Bohemia at age 15, and their court was known for popularizing the ideas of courtly love that would become central to Valentine's Day traditions.
Which country restricted public celebrations of Valentine's Day in 2017, making it illegal for government institutions to promote the holiday?
Pakistan
Fun fact: Despite the ban, Pakistan has developed its own unique Valentine's Day alternative called "Sister's Day," where women are celebrated instead. Some Pakistani florists report that their rose sales actually increased after the ban, with people simply celebrating more discretely!
Which historical figure was known for sending one of the earliest recorded Valentine's Day letters while imprisoned in the Tower of London?
Charles, Duke of Orléans
Fun fact: The Duke wrote this valentine poem to his wife in 1415 while he was a prisoner of war after the Battle of Agincourt. He spent 25 years in captivity, during which he wrote over 500 poems! His valentine poem to his wife began "Je suis desja d'amour tanné" ("I am already sick of love"), which might be the most honest valentine ever written.
What percentage of Valentine's Day cards are purchased by women?
About 85%
Fun fact: This statistic has remained surprisingly consistent since the 1940s! Even more interesting is that in the age of digital communication, physical Valentine's cards are still predominantly bought by women aged 25-34, making them one of the few paper card traditions to successfully resist the digital revolution.
Which U.S. city is home to an annual mass wedding ceremony where hundreds of couples get married on Valentine's Day?
Las Vegas, Nevada
Fun fact: On Valentine's Day, Las Vegas averages one wedding every 5 minutes! The most popular time to get married is at midnight as Valentine's Day begins, with some chapels hosting "racing weddings" where multiple couples say "I do" simultaneously to beat the rush. Elvis impersonators reportedly perform about 15% of all Valentine's Day weddings in Vegas.
Which famous chocolate company created the first Valentine's Day heart-shaped box of chocolates?
Cadbury
Fun fact: Richard Cadbury did more than just create heart-shaped boxes - he was actually an accomplished artist who painted the original box designs himself. The Victorian era boxes were so elaborate that they were designed with a second life in mind - people would use them to store love letters, hair locks, and other romantic mementos long after the chocolates were gone.
Which Greek god is equivalent to Cupid in Roman mythology?
Eros
Fun fact: Unlike his Roman counterpart Cupid, Eros was considered one of the primordial gods of creation in early Greek mythology. He was believed to be one of the first beings to emerge from Chaos, making him older than Zeus himself! Only later did he get demoted to Aphrodite's mischievous son, which eventually evolved into the cherubic Cupid we know today.
Which historical figure, surprisingly linked to romance, was known for writing numerous love letters to his wife, Josephine?
Napoleon Bonaparte
Fun fact: The mighty conqueror was actually a huge softie in his love letters. He once wrote to Josephine: "I wake filled with thoughts of you. Your portrait and the intoxicating evening which we spent yesterday have left my senses in turmoil." Ironically, these passionate letters were often delivered late because he was so busy conquering Europe that his own military campaigns disrupted the mail service!
What medieval tradition involved young men and women drawing names to determine their Valentine for the day?
The Valentine Lottery
Fun fact: This tradition was essentially medieval blind dating! Participants would wear the name they drew pinned to their sleeve for a week - which is actually the origin of the phrase "wearing your heart on your sleeve." Some versions of the lottery required the drawn Valentine to give their partner a gift, leading to some hilariously mismatched pairings among medieval nobility.
Which famous playwright frequently referenced love and romance in his works, including the line "The course of true love never did run smooth"?
William Shakespeare
Fun fact: Shakespeare actually invented over 120 ways to say "love" in his works! He's responsible for creating phrases like "heart of gold," "love is blind," and "wild-goose chase" - all of which first appeared in his love-themed writings. That famous quote about love never running smooth? It's from "A Midsummer Night's Dream," which features no less than four separate love stories gone wrong!
If you liked these trivia questions and want to keep digging, check out our other fun fact posts. If you're looking for a neat Valentine's gift for that special anyone, try one of our Fun Fact Trivia games. It's like this, but more gamified and... funnier:-).
