It's nearly that time of year when love fills the air and couples around the world celebrate Valentine's day.
Even if you're single there are still a few good reasons to enjoy Valentine's Day - most notably all the chocolate on sale.
And while nowadays Valentine's Day is exclusively a celebration of love a couples, that hasn't always been the case.
From gifts and symbolism to who the special day is actually named after, here's everything you need to know about Valentine's Day.
When is Valentine's Day?
Valentine's Day falls on February 14 every year and will be taking place on a Monday in 2022.
Nowadays, tradition dictates that you express your love for someone with a Valentine's card or some small gifts such as chocolate or flowers.
In fact, the tradition of a Valentine's card can be dated as far back as the 1500s and are usually adorned with love hearts, doves and Cupid - the god of desire and affection in mythology.
Why is it called Valentine's Day?
The special day is named after Saint Valentine who was said to have been a priest or bishop in Rome during the third century.
During his lifetime, he was apparently jailed by the Roman emperor Claudius II after ignoring warning to stop performing Christian marriages at a time when Christians were heavily persecuted in the empire.
Because of this, Valentine married young couples in secret and even went as far as attempting to convert the emperor to Christianity which led to him being sentenced to death.
According to legend, the date of Valentine's execution was February 14 which is why that is the date his name is celebrated every year.
But the holiday wasn't finalised until around the fifth century when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 the day of Saint Valentine.
