24 Valentine’s Day Trivia Questions & Answers

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7 February 2024

By Sarah Angela Almaden

Jean-Honoré Fragonard

When it is the season of hearts and love and cute cards, all the cupids up in pink heaven get eight extra love arrows so they can spread more softness around the world. Because in this era of frozen yogurt and iced coffee and vegan pistachio muffins, there’s nothing better than an extra dose of love in the air.

Now, besides all that lovey-dovey stuff, it is quite interesting to note that there is more to Saint Valentine’s Day than just the giving of pretty flowers and chocolatey chocolates and darling pickup lines and sappy sayings. In case you didn’t know, this annual day celebration of love and romance has actually been around for a very long time. And that is just one of the several fun facts about this Feast of Saint Valentine. To find out more, please scroll down.

When is Galentine's day? Galentine’s Day is Feb 13th – a day all about “ladies celebrating ladies,” according to the one and only Leslie Knope.
A quote from Leslie Knope: “It’s only the best day of the year! Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it—breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies.”
What is the name of the TV show credited for starting Galentine's Day? Parks and Recreation is an American sitcom with 8 seasons in total. On season 2, episode 16, Galentine’s Day (title of the episode) was introduced as a day for women to celebrate their love and friendship among other women, non-binary friends, and friends of all genders.
Which Christian martyr is regarded as the patron saint of lovers? Saint Valentine. Saint Valentine is also the patron saint of beekeepers and epileptics.
What were mean-spirited Valentine’s Day cards called in the Victorian era? Vinegar or Vinegar Valentines are what you call mean and vulgar and unromantic cards exchanged on Valentine’s Day.

Sources: Picryl, Brighton Royal Pavilion and Museums
Who created the first candy box for Valentine's Day?
Richard Cadburry. It is believed that even though Mr. Richard Cadburry didn’t patent the heart-shaped box, he sure is credited for producing and marketing the pretty chocolate box we all know today.
What brain chemical is known as the love hormone? Oxytocin is known as the love hormone and cuddle chemical.
Which emperor ordered the execution of Saint Valentine? In 269, Emperor Claudius II Gothicus persecuted Saint Valentine for refusing to renounce Jesus Christ.
What fruit used to be referred to as a "love apple" because of its supposed aphrodisiac qualities? The Tomato. The French dubbed the tomato as la pomme d'amour or love apple because they believed that the mighty tomato had special aphrodisiac powers.
What very important invention was patented on Valentine's Day? The patent for the telephone was filed on February 14, 1876 by Gray and Alexander Graham Bell.
What website launched on Valentine's Day of 2005? Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim launched YouTube as an online video-sharing platform on February 14, 2005.
What do red roses symbolize? Red roses signify respect, passion, and love. According to Greek mythology, red roses are believed to have been made by Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of Love.
What do yellow roses symbolize? Yellow roses mean joy, happiness, and friendship.
Who came up with the term "star-crossed lovers"? The phrase “star-crossed lovers” comes from William Shakespeare’s prologue from Romeo and Juliet.

Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona (where we lay our scene), From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Doth with their death bury their parents’ strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love, And the continuance of their parents’ rage, Which but their children’s end nought could remove, Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
What does XOXO mean? Hugs and kisses.
Which monarch of Sweden is recognized for having popularized the Valentine's Day flower-giving custom? When King Charles II was introduced to the Persian tradition of giving flowers, aka the “language of flowers” or “floriography,” he learned about the different meanings behind the different flowers. Then, he brought this bit of flower information back to Europe.
What ancient Roman festival falls on February 14, the day Valentine's Day is celebrated? This ancient pagan festival is called Lupercalia or Lupercal. This festival isn’t really your lovey-dovey festival because this gets a bit bloody and violent and sometimes it involves animal sacrifice. This festival of fertility happens between February 13 and 15.
Lupercalia oil painting, Museo del Prado
Which religion is connected to the Lupercalia festival? Lupercalia was an ancient pagan festival and it was celebrated in various regions all over Italy. But it was then banned by Pope Gelasius I because it challenged the power of the Church.
What century was Valentine's Day first linked to romance and love? 14th century. Geoffrey Chaucer’s poem in 1375 called “Parliament of Foules” was the first to mention Valentine’s Day as a form of love and romantic celebration.

Translated to modern English:
"For this was on Saint Valentine's Day When every bird comes there to choose his match Of every kind that men may think of And that so huge a noise they began to make That earth and air and tree and every lake Was so full, that not easily was there space For me to stand—so full was all the place."
Which king of England proclaimed February 14th a holiday in 1537?
King Henry VIII loved to be in love. And he officially issued a Royal Charter designating February 14th as Saint Valentine's Day.
What is Cupid the god of? In Roman mythology, Cupid is the god of love, attraction, and desire. In Greek mythology, Cupid is known as Eros and he is the god of love and lust.
Who are the parents of Cupid in Roman mythology? Cupid is the son of Venus and Mercury.
Which Greek goddess has a connection to red roses? According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of Love. And she fell in love with Adonis, a very handsome mortal who loved hunting. One day, Adonis went to the forest to hunt animals and then he encountered a wild boar. This wild boar was not afraid of Adonis at all. Adonis was also fearless. But little did he know that his encounter with the wild boar was going to result in tragedy. Dun dun dun.
Aphrodite ran to the forest right away when she heard Adonis scream a very loud scream. She then found Adonis but she found him badly wounded. She cried and cried and her tears fell down from her eyes. Aphrodite’s tears mixed with the blood of Adonis’s wound. And this combination of love and loss bloomed into a beautiful red rose bush.

Which country recognizes February 14th as National Chocolate Day? Ghana. The Ministry of Tourism in Ghana declared Chocolate Day to fall on February 14th every year.