Valentine’s Day, a celebration of love wrapped in candy hearts, roses and chocolates, traces back to St. Valentine. But the origins are far more complex — and darker than the chocolate we indulge in on the day of love. Valentine’s Day is rooted in ancient Roman rituals, where sacrifice and secrecy intertwined with the idea of love.

Valentine's cards and gifts have their roots in English traditions — but Americans have long embraced them for romantic partners and other loved ones.