Valentine’s Day is slowly being redefined from a traditional ‘couples’ holiday to a celebration of love in all shapes and sizes.

But some traditional Valentine’s customs are still going strong and we put together a list of 14 things forever linked to this romantic holiday and added a few interesting facts for you to impress your Valentine.

In the 15th century, from prison

It was a poem written by Charles, the Duke of Orleans in 1415, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. In the poem, he refers to his wife as his ‘Valentine’ in the line ‘I am already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine.’

Kissing their wives in the morning

A 1980s psychological study done in Germany showed that kissing your wife in the morning can help you live up to 5 years longer.

The same study also found that leaving without a kiss can increase your chances of getting into a car accident!

A parrot

Lovebird is the common name for the Agapornis bird, a small parrot native to Africa. They got their nickname due to their habit of coupling into monogamous pairs that spend a lot of time sitting together.

On your sleeve

The phrase originates from the Middle Ages when young people would draw names of their Valentine written on a piece of paper and then pin them to their sleeves for a week for everyone to see.

Al Capone

The massacre was a clash between the bootlegging gangs of Al Capone and Bugs Moran in their struggle to control organized crime during the Prohibition.

Yellow

The bright color is synonymous with happiness and getting a yellow rose lets your friend know that their friendship brings joy and energy into your life.

You and your friends can also travel to Finland, where Valentine’s is called Ystävänpäivä or ‘Friend’s day’. The emphasis there is on the love between friends, not lovers.

Caramels

According to the American National Confectioners Association, caramels are the most popular flavour, followed by chocolate-covered nuts, chocolate or cream-filled candies and coconut flavoured confectioneries.

Chocolates

While it’s tradition for women in Japan to buy chocolates for their loved ones, they are also expected to buy them for their male co-workers.

Elementary school teachers

The other top 5 to receive the most Valentine’s Cards are children, mothers, wives and pets.

Tomato

One of the theories is that due to their heart shape, tomatoes were considered an aphrodisiac and were named 'pomme d'amour' (love apple) by the French because of that.

Dom Perignon

He was a cellar master who pioneered several winemaking techniques that are now associated with modern-day champagne.

Among others, he was the first to blend different kinds of grapes, introduce corks instead of wood and use thicker glass in champagne bottles to withstand the pressure.

Beekeepers

Besides protecting lovers, St. Valentine’s was also charged with ensuring the sweetness of honey and the protection of beekeepers.

The liver

In Antiquity, Aristotle defined the heart as the seat of reason, which was generally accepted until the Roman physician Galen decided that the heart was responsible for all emotions, except for love, which resided in the liver.

Slovenian

The Slovenian language has two different expressions that let people define the depths of their love.

‘Ljubim te’ is reserved for your one true love, while ‘Rad te imam’ (radt tee iemam) is what you say to people you care about deeply, like your family and close friends.