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Vanentine's Day - US Census Bureau
February 14 is Valentine’s Day, and the US Census Bureau is ready with their Facts for Features: Valentine’s Day 2008: Feb. 14.
The Bureau explains:
Opinions abound as to who was the original Valentine, with the most popular theory that he was a clergyman who was executed for secretly marrying couples in ancient Rome. Emperor Claudius II felt that marriage weakened his soldiers. In any event, in A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius set aside Feb. 14 to honor St. Valentine. Through the centuries, the Christian holiday became a time to exchange love messages, and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. Esther Howland, a native of Massachusetts, is given credit for sending the first valentine cards in the 1840s. The spirit of love continues today as valentines are sent with sentimental verses, and children exchange valentine cards at school.
Some of the facts include:
— 1,198 - # of locations producing chocolate and cocoa products in 2005
— 477 - # of locations that produced nonchocolate confectionary products in 2005
— $14.9 billion - total value of shipments in 2006 for firms producing chocolate and cocoa products
— 25.5 & 27.5 - estimated U.S. median ages at first marriage for women and men, respectively, in 2006
— 120 - # of single men who are in their 20s for every 100 single women of the same ages
— 34 - # of single men 65 and older for every 100 single women of the same ages
For more, go read the whole thing: Facts for Features: Valentine’s Day 2008: Feb. 14.
— michael | February 14, 2008 05:04 PM | I found it online
