Impress your sweetheart with these Valentine's Day curiosities

Valentine's Day is upon us once again, and many lovers are scrambling to find just the right card, gift, or experience to show their beloved just how much they are cherished.

Some really enjoy this holiday that cheers us up in our mid-winter slump, but others claim it is all just commercialism to make us buy more and more.

Whatever your stance, we've done a little research on the history of Valentine's Day and discovered some details that will most certainly surprise you! From a bloody pagan ceremony to how the letter "x" became a kiss symbol, click on to read about some historical Valentine's Day curiosities!

Not all historians agree on the origins of Valentine's Day; however, some trace it back to an effort by Christians to replace a pagan fertility festival that dates back to the 6th century B.C.

Known as the festival of Lupercalia, Roman priests would slap women on the streets with the blood-soaked skins of sacrificial goats and dogs.

Photo: By Circle of Adam Elsheimer - Christie

This bloody, unpleasant ordeal was believed to be a fertility blessing. Per the legend, following their blessing, women would put their names in an urn and would be randomly matched with a man for the duration of one year.

Photo by: Andrea Camassei, Lupercalia, Prado Museum website

Cupid and Valentine's Day go together like peanut butter and jelly, but have you ever thought about why a chubby baby with wings and a bow and arrow is so closely associated with the day of love?

Cupid's origins go back to the Greeks, where he was known as Eros, the god of love. Eros was the son of the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

However, Eros didn't only shoot people with arrows of love. He also shot arrows of hate, as he enjoyed toying with the emotions of his targets.

Eros wasn't a chubby childlike cherub as we know him today, but rather a handsome man. Eros didn't adopt the appearance of a toddler until the Romans began sharing the stories of his mischief.

Photo: Chris Linnett / Unsplash

The story of the first valentine ever written isn't as terribly romantic as many of us might imagine! Charles, Duke of Orleans, at the age of 21, wrote a love letter to his second wife from prison in the early 15th century.

Charles was held captive at the Battle of Agincourt and held prisoner for over 20 years. Sadly, he was never able to see his wife's reaction to his love poem.

Signing a letter with "xx" is second nature to many of us, and on Valentine's Day, we use the well-known symbol for "kiss" to sign our valentines too. 

According to historians, "X" represented Christianity or the cross during the Middle Ages. Many individuals were illiterate during the same period, so an "X" was used to sign documents. 

Per History.com, after signing, it was common to "kiss the mark as a sign of their oath." Over the years, the gesture became more common both among royalty and commoners when signing paperwork, books, and letters. Thus, the idea of something being "sealed with a kiss" became etched into society. 

The common expression "to wear your heart on your sleeve" means you are open and transparent about your affections. Per The Smithsonian, the expression has its roots in the Middle Ages.

According to Merriam-Webster, the phrase may have originated in medieval jousts. During the Middle Ages, a sleeve was not only a part of a piece of clothing that covered your arms but also a protective piece of armor.

When knights competed in a joust, they would often dedicate their efforts to a lady of the courts. To show their dedication, they would wear something of the lady's such as a ribbon tied around their armor sleeve.

Thus spectators knew which lady the knight had his eyes on. Many believe that the origins of "wear your heart on your sleeve" come from this chivalrous gesture.