Days Until Valentine's Day
About Valentine's Day
February 14th is one of 365 days on the calendar — and like every date, it has its own mix of facts, observances, and history. Valentine's Day originated from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia (Feb 13-15), which celebrated fertility. Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 as St. Valentine's Day in the late 5th century to Christianize the pagan festival. The countdown below shows how many days remain until the next February 14th, with notes on what the date is known for, the traditions associated with it, and notable events that have happened on this day.
📚 Interesting Facts
Valentine's Day originated from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia (Feb 13-15), which celebrated fertility. Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 as St. Valentine's Day in the late 5th century to Christianize the pagan festival
Saint Valentine was a Christian priest martyred around 270 CE by Roman Emperor Claudius II Gothicus. Legend says he performed marriages for soldiers who were forbidden to wed and restored sight to his jailer's blind daughter
The romantic association with Valentine's Day began in the 14th century when Geoffrey Chaucer wrote 'Parliament of Fowls,' declaring February 14 as the day when birds choose their mates
The first commercial Valentine's Day cards appeared in the 1500s, with mass production beginning around 1800. Hallmark Cards started producing valentines in 1913
Approximately 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually worldwide, making it the second-largest card-sending holiday after Christmas
🎊 Traditions & Celebrations
Japan: Women give chocolate to men on Valentine's Day, with 'honmei choco' for romantic partners and 'giri choco' for friends. Men reciprocate on White Day (March 14)
Philippines: Mass wedding ceremonies are held on Valentine's Day, with hundreds or thousands of couples gathering to renew vows or get married in government-sponsored events
Finland: Celebrated as 'Ystävänpäivä' (Friendship Day), focusing on appreciation for friends rather than romantic partners
South Africa: Women pin the name of their secret admirer to their sleeves, literally 'wearing their hearts on their sleeves'
Germany: Lovers exchange pig-shaped gifts including figurines and toys, as pigs symbolize luck and lust in German culture
Denmark & Norway: Men send 'gaekkebrev' - anonymous joke letters with funny poems on intricately cut paper. If the recipient guesses the sender, she earns an Easter egg
Italy: Couples celebrate 'La Festa Degli Innamorati' with Baci Perugina chocolates (chocolate-covered hazelnuts with romantic quotes) and long romantic dinners
📜 Historical Events on This Day
Saint Valentine of Rome was martyred by Roman Emperor Claudius II Gothicus, becoming the patron saint of lovers
Captain James Cook, the great English explorer and navigator, was killed by Native Hawaiians during his third Pacific voyage
Oregon became the 33rd U.S. state to join the Union
Alexander Graham Bell applied for a patent for the telephone, beating rival inventor Elisha Gray by just hours
The St. Valentine's Day Massacre: Seven members of Chicago's North Side Gang were murdered by four men disguised as police officers in a garage on North Clark Street, marking the peak of Prohibition-era gang violence
ENIAC, the first electronic general-purpose computer, was unveiled at the University of Pennsylvania
Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for the death of author Salman Rushdie following publication of 'The Satanic Verses'
The Voyager 1 spacecraft, 3.7 billion miles from the sun, took the famous 'Pale Blue Dot' photograph of Earth
Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, died at age six
YouTube was founded by three former PayPal employees, forever changing how we share and consume video content
Why Count Down to Valentine's Day?
Whether you're planning ahead, celebrating a tradition, or marking a personal milestone, tracking the countdown to Valentine's Day helps you prepare and build anticipation. Use CountDay.org to:
- Never miss important dates and plan accordingly
- Build excitement as the day approaches
- Share the countdown with friends and family
- Set reminders and prepare for celebrations
- Track multiple countdowns in one convenient place