Traditions and Icons of Valentine’s Day
Cupid started out as the Greek god, Eros, who then became the bow and arrow-clad Roman god of love.
The tradition of personally exchanging valentines began in the 1700s. By the 1800s, when postal service became more affordable, mailing valentines (sometimes anonymously) became a more popular tradition.
The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately 1 billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas.