Valentine's Day Facts

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for Feb. 14: Valentine's Day

2/13/2005 10:05:00 AM

To: National and Feature desks

Contact: Rick Reed or Tom Edwards, 301-763-2812, both of the U.S. Census Bureau

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Following is the daily 'Profile America' feature for Feb. 14 from the U.S. Census Bureau:

VALENTINE'S DAY

Profile America for Monday, Feb. 14. This is Valentine's Day -- and while an unofficial holiday, it's one of the best observed of the year. Its origins are a mix of legends involving two Christian martyrs, a Roman fertility rite and the old notion that this is the time of year when birds choose their mates. What is sure is that Esther Howland of Massachusetts began selling the first mass-produced valentines in the 1840s. Now, Valentine's Day is one of the biggest occasions in the country's greeting card shops. It's also a busy time for the nation's jewelers, florists and candy stores. There are some 3,800 candy stores across the U.S., selling $1.2 billion of sweets annually. The average person consumes close to 25 pounds of candy a year. Find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau on the Web at http://www.census.gov.

Source: U.S. Newswire : Releases : "U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for Feb. 14: Valentine's Day"