Ah, Valentine’s Day—the one day of the year when love is everywhere. Roses mysteriously double in price, chocolate sales hit the roof, and if you’re single, you either embrace your freedom or binge-watch Netflix with an alarming amount of snacks.
But what if I told you that February 14 is more than just about love? What if I told you this day has seen betrayals, revolutions, and even the birth of YouTube?
Strap in, because the history of February 14 is wilder than a bad Tinder date.
The Original Valentine’s Day: A Story of Execution (Not Love)
So where did Valentine’s Day even come from? Well, it wasn’t always about candlelit dinners and overpriced teddy bears. It started with a guy getting executed.
Saint Valentine was a priest in Rome around the 3rd century. Emperor Claudius II wasn’t a big fan of love—he believed that single men made better soldiers (probably because they didn’t have to text their girlfriends back). So, he banned young men from getting married.
Valentine, being a rebel, decided to secretly perform marriages anyway. When the emperor found out, he had Valentine beheaded on February 14, around the year 269 AD.
That’s right—Valentine’s Day literally started as an execution anniversary. Nothing says romance like historical decapitation.
But Wait… There’s More to February 14
While couples are out exchanging gifts on February 14, the universe is busy celebrating a lot of other things. Here are some of the most surprising events that happened on Valentine’s Day:
1. The Birth of YouTube (2005)
Forget love letters—February 14, 2005, gave us something way more entertaining: YouTube.
That’s right! The platform that gave us cat videos, conspiracy theories, and 10-hour loop compilations of weird sounds was founded on Valentine’s Day.
I’d like to think the creators originally wanted to make a dating site but accidentally changed the course of history. Instead of finding love, people found endless distractions.
2. The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1929)
Chicago, 1929. Instead of chocolates, there were bullets.
On February 14, 1929, Al Capone’s gang sent a very special Valentine to a rival gang in what became known as The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Seven men were gunned down in a brutal attack that became one of the most infamous moments in American crime history.
Lesson? Not all February 14th gifts are sweet.
3. Arizona Became a State (1912)
On February 14, 1912, the U.S. government said, “Hey, let’s make Arizona a state!”
Now, nothing screams Valentine’s Day romance like an arid desert with cacti, scorpions, and unbearable summer heat.
Some people get engagement rings on February 14. Arizona got statehood. Close enough.
4. Dolly the Sheep Was Cloned (2003)
Love makes people want to “find their other half,” but science took it to the next level when Dolly the Sheep—the first cloned mammal—was born on February 14, 2003.
Imagine being genetically copied on Valentine’s Day. Some people are out there looking for soulmates, but Dolly already had an exact replica. Beat that, Tinder.
How Valentine’s Day Became a Capitalist Goldmine
Somewhere along the way, people decided that February 14 should stop being about executions and gangster shootings and should instead be about flowers, heart-shaped candy, and excessive spending.
By the 19th century, businesses saw an opportunity, and boom—Valentine’s Day turned into a billion-dollar industry.
• In the U.S. alone, people spend over $20 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts.
• Over 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are sold each year.
• More than 9 million people buy gifts for their pets on Valentine’s Day (because why should only humans suffer?)
Big corporations saw one beheaded saint and thought, “This is the perfect excuse to sell overpriced roses.”
The Real Meaning of February 14? Whatever You Want It to Be!
At the end of the day, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about love. It’s about crime, statehood, scientific breakthroughs, and the internet’s greatest distraction.
So whether you’re celebrating love, watching conspiracy videos on YouTube, or appreciating the fact that you’re not part of a 1929 gangster shootout, February 14 has something for everyone.
And if you’re single? Just remember: Arizona is also single.
Happy February 14, no matter how you choose to celebrate it!
Mr. Editor