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By the numbers - February 2005
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Sunday, January 23, 2005
And let’s go ahead and call it Valentine’s Day A school board in Hillsborough, N.J., having already renamed Christmas as “December Season” to avoid religious connotations, has renamed Valentine’s Day, which many call St. Valentine’s Day, as “Special Person Day.” But we will not be shy. Here is Valentine’s Day, by the numbers:
3 Number of St. Valentines mentioned in early martyrologies, all men martyred in the late 3rd century under Emperor Claudius II.
66 Percent of parents who make Valentine’s Day purchases for their children.
6 Percent of families that buy Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets.
3 Number of calories burned up, on average, by a kiss.
26 Number of calories in a Hershey’s Kiss.
45 Percent of Valentine’s Day cards sent to children.
124,000,000 Number of roses bought by Americans for Valentine’s Day in 2004.
36,000,000 Number of heart-shaped boxes of chocolates bought by Americans for Valentine’s Day in 2004.
62 Percent more that men spend on women than vice versa for Valentine’s Day.
4 Rank of Valentine’s Day in candy sales (after Halloween, Christmas and Easter). 4 Rank of Valentine’s Day in flower sales (after Christmas, Mother’s Day and Easter).
2 Rank of Valentine’s Day in greeting card sales (after Christmas).
385 Seconds, the longest kiss in a movie, between Regis Toomey and Jane Wyman in “You’re in the Army Now” (1941).
2122 N. Clark St., Chicago, the address of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929.
Zay N. Smith
