According to Roman legend, during the third century, Valentinus was imprisoned for his Christian beliefs and sentenced to death. While jailed, according to legend, Valentinus restored the sight of his jailer's blind daughter. The night before he died, Valentinus wrote a farewell note to the girl, which he signed, "From Your Valentine." His sentence was carried out the next day, Feb. 14, 269 A.D.

Hundreds of years later in fifth century Rome, people honored Juno, the pagan goddess of love and marriage, on Feb. 14. During the celebration, men would draw women's names and court them for marriage.Around 498 A.D., Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 as St. Valentine's Day to honor the martyr Valentinus and to end the pagan celebration.In 1849, Esther Howland of Worcester, Mass., published the first American valentine.Hallmark first offered Valentine's Day cards in 1913 and began producing them in 1916.According to the National Retail Federation, the average person celebrating Valentine's Day spent nearly $142 in 2015.From HallmarkMore than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold for Valentine's Day.American men say they'd prefer to receive boxed chocolate as a Valentine's Day present followed by gourmet, high-end chocolates then conversation heart candies.A majority of men (53 percent) admit that they lean on friends and family to find the perfect present for their sweetheart while 11 percent look to co-workers, 10 percent ask the cashier and 7 percent consult the World Wide Web.Even if they don't make the final purchases until the last few days, the majority of men (75%) testify that they plan ahead for Valentine's Day.About.comConversation heartsAbout 8 billion hearts will be produced this year; that's enough candy to stretch from Rome, Italy to Valentine, Arizona 20 times and back again.The peak selling season for conversation hearts last only six weeks, but confectioners produce the candy for nearly eleven months of the year.At least 10 new conversation heart sayings are introduced each year. Recent additions include "Yeah Right", "Call Home" and "Puppy Love."