Valentine’s Day 2009

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 in spite of Emperor Claudius II, who felt that marriage weakened his soldiers. In any event, in A.D. 496, Pope Gelasius I declared Feb. 14 as Valentine Day. 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 selling the first mass-produced valentine cards in the 1840s. The spirit of love continues today as valentines are sent with sentimental verses, from and to young and old romantics.

[B]CANDY IS DANDY[/B] 1,170: Number of locations producing chocolate and cocoa products in 2006. These establishments employed 39,457 people. California led the nation in the number of such establishments with 128, followed by Pennsylvania with 116.

473: Number of locations that produced nonchocolate confectionary products in 2006. These establishments employed 18,733 people.

$13.9 billion: Total value of shipments in 2006 for firms producing chocolate and cocoa products. Nonchocolate confectionery product manufacturing, meanwhile, was a $7.2 billion industry.

3,563: Number of confectionery and nut stores in the United States in 2006.

24.5 pounds: Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2007.

[B]FLOWERS[/B] $416 million: The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut flowers in 2007 for all flower-producing operations with $100,000 or more in sales. Among states, California was the leading producer, alone accounting for about three-quarters of this amount ($320 million).

$29 million: The combined wholesale value of domestically produced cut roses in 2007 for all operations with $100,000 or more in sales.

20,227: The number of florists nationwide in 2006. These businesses employed 98,373 people.

[B]JEWELRY[/B] 28,300: Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2006. Jewelry stores offer engagement, wedding and other rings to lovers of all ages. In February 2008, these stores sold $2.6 billion in merchandise.

The merchandise at these locations could well have been produced at one of the nation’s 1,777 jewelry manufacturing establishments.

[B]BE MINE[/B] 2.2 million: The number of marriages that took place in the United States in 2007. That breaks down to a little more than 6,000 a day.

126,354: The number of marriages performed in Nevada during 2007. So many couples tie the knot in the Silver State that it ranked fifth nationally in marriages, even though its total population that year among states was 35th. (California ranked first in marriages.)

57 percent and 60 percent: The percentages of American women and men, respectively, who are 18 or older and married (includes those who are separated).

72 percent: Percentage of people 30 to 34 in 2007 who had been married at some point in their lives — either currently or formerly.

73 percent: Among women who married for the first time between 1985 and 1989, the percentage who marked their 10th anniversary. This compares with 87 percent of women who married for the first time between 1955 and 1959.

6 percent: The percentage of currently married women who have been married for at least 50 years. A little more than half of currently married women have been married for at least 15 years.

[B]LOOKING FOR LOVE[/B] 904: The number of dating service establishments nationwide as of 2002. These establishments, which include Internet dating services, employed nearly 4,300 people and pulled in $489 million in revenue.

[B]TRY LOOKING HERE…[/B] Romantic-sounding places to spend Valentine’s Day: Roseville, Calif.; Rose City, Mich.; South Heart, N.D.; Loveland, Colo.; Darling township, Minn.; Loveland, Ohio; Romeo, Colo.; Sacred Heart, Minn.; Loveland Park, Ohio; Lovejoy, Ga.; Heart Butte, Mont.; Love County, Okla.; Loves Park, Ill.; Valentine, Neb.; Loveland, Okla.; Lovington, Ill.; Lovelock, Nev.; Lovelady, Texas; Romeoville, Ill.; Loving, N.M.; Loving County, Texas; Rosemont, Ill.; Lovington, N.M.; Valentine, Texas; Romeo, Mich.; Love Valley, N.C.; Rose Hill Acres, Texas; Rose Hill, N.C.
Rose Hill, Va.

[B]GIVING LOVE A SECOND CHANCE[/B] 8: Average length, in years, of first marriages ending in divorce.

3 ½: The median time in years between divorce and a second marriage.

12 percent and 13 percent: Percentage of men and women, respectively, 15 and older who have married twice. Three percent each have married three or more times. By comparison, 54 percent of men and 58 percent of women have made only one trip down the aisle.

52 percent and 44 percent: Among adults 25 and older who have ever divorced, the percentage of men and women, respectively, who were currently married.

[I]Source: U.S. Census Bureau[/I]