• Most historians link the lover's holiday to an annual celebration in Rome. During the boisterous bonanza, men stripped naked and spanked young maidens with animal-skin whips in an effort to increase fertility.
• While history buffs don't unanimously agree on who the original Valentine was, the most popular suspect is a clergyman in ancient Rome. When the emperor outlawed marriage during wartime (because he believed single men made better soldiers), Bishop Valentine performed secret wedding ceremonies. It wasn't until 496 A.D., over 200 years after the bishop's death, that Pope Gelasius I officially declared Feb. 14 as Saint Valentine's Day.
• While Americans likely began exchanging handmade valentines in the 17th century, the first mass-produced cards date to the 1840s. 1 billion cards are sent each year worldwide today, making Valentine's Day the biggest greeting card holiday in the U.S. after Christmas.
• According to a survey by American Express, 56 percent of Americans plan on taking a more digital approach to sending their declarations of love this year. Out of that group, 29 percent say they'll text sweet nothings and another 29 percent say they'll post on Facebook. Twenty-three percent will send a naughty-or-nice email and 20 percent will mail a loving e-card.
• While the average consumer spends about $130 on Valentine's Day gifts, meals and entertainment, men consistently dole out double what women typically pay, offering up about $287, compared to women's $164.
• Speaking of meals—the National Restaurant Association expects one quarter of American adults to dine out on Valentine's Day, making it the second busiest holiday for restaurants next to Mother's Day. Diners are expected to fork over an estimated $3.9 billion on romantic meals alone, with meal price averaging $142.11, not to mention the bound-to-be-extravagant gifts. What happened to "It's the thought that counts"?
• Oh, great sexpectations. A recent study by the experts at Good in Bed reveal that nearly 85 percent of men and women believe that sex is an important part of Valentine's Day. Condom company Durex reports that the surge in sex on V-Day increases their sales about 25 percent in the month of February. Correlation, or causation?
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