Valentine's Day traditions that are lowkey wild 💘

Roses, chocolates, love letters—plus Juliet and Cupid? How did Valentine traditions get this weird?

1. The OG love symbol 🌹
   Red roses = love, and it’s been that way for centuries. Greek and Roman myths tied them to Aphrodite (Venus), the goddess of love. Shakespeare hyped them up in poetry, and Victorians literally turned them into secret love notes. Then florists and brands made them the go-to Valentine’s gift, locking in their status as the ultimate symbol of romance.

2. Love hurts? Tell Juliet 💔
   Inspired by Shakespeare's classic tale, people from all over the world send letters to Juliet's supposed house in Verona, Italy, spilling their deepest love stories. The Juliet Club in Verona keeps the tradition alive by writing back, turning Juliet's fictitious home into a total romance hotspot.

3. The ultimate love snack 🍫
   The Aztecs (a powerful civilization in ancient Mexico) were big on chocolate, seeing it as a food of desire. When it hit Europe, it became a fancy treat associated with romance. British chocolatier Richard Cadbury levelled up the game in the 19th century by creating the first-ever heart-shaped chocolate boxes. Throw in those feel-good chemicals that give you a high similar to being in love, and it’s easy to see why chocolate became a Valentine's Day essential.

4. The OG texts 💌
   Love letters have been a vibe since the Middle Ages, with the first recorded Valentine’s note penned in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orléans. Fast forward to the 19th century, when Esther Howland made them extra with fancy lace designs. As postal services spread the trend worldwide, Valentine’s cards blew up into a multi-billion-dollar industry—romance really pays.

5. The OG Love Influencer 🏹
   He's the OG love god. Cupid's story actually started with the Greeks as Eros, a powerful god who used his arrows to make people fall in love. But over time, he got a major glow-up, going from a serious god to the chubby little cherub we all know. Thanks to a whole lot of Renaissance art, he became the face of romance—and now he's basically the main character of every Valentine's Day card and ad ever.