According to legend, the history of Valentine’s Day dates back to the third century in Rome, when Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers, in the process outlawing marriage for young men.

As a result, Valentine – a young priest – so enraged by the decision, decided to risk punishment by continuing to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. Claudius eventually discovered Valentine’s actions and sentenced him to death. Whilst imprisoned awaiting his fate, Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter and sent a note to her, signing it “From Your Valentine” – an expression we still use today.

Valentine was executed on February 14th, 270 AD, with the date later (sometime around 496 AD) declared a day to honour Valentine’s actions by Pope Gelasius. By this time, Valentine had also been declared a Saint.

The history of sending flowers to a loved one on Valentine’s Day flowers comes from the old-fashioned custom of sending floral bouquets to pass on non-verbal messages. Introduced in the 18th century by Charles II ofSweden, each flower had a specific meaning attached to it, making it possible to have an entire conversation using only flowers. That’s why today, the red rose is still the most popular way to share an expression of love.