History of Valentine's Day for Kids | Learn the origin of the holiday of love!

Did you know that the origin of Valentine's Day is still a mystery? In History of Valentine's Day for Kids, we'll talk about some of those theories. Historians think it began over 4,000 years ago, but they still can't agree on the person the holiday is named after. Luckily, they have narrowed it down to just a few options.Show more

English poet Geoffrey Chaucer referenced Valentine's Day in one of his poems, so some historians credit him for starting the tradition of Valentine's Day as a romantic holiday. And sending cards might be credited to Charles, Duke of Orléans, who may or may not have sent a love poem to his wife while he was imprisoned.

The invention of the printing press made it easier for people to send valentines. Around this time, an artist named Esther Howland started a company that produced Valentine's Day cards. She became known as the Mother of the American Valentine. Today, about 145 million valentines are produced each year. And over 8 billion candies are made and over 250 million roses are grown every year for the holiday of love.