From stuffed animals and roses to cards and trinkets, you can give a variety of gifts on Valentine’s Day to convey your affection. Although there are several items to choose from, Hawaiian chocolate has remained a popular option. To understand why we opt for this treat, here’s more information about the history behind the holiday and why we celebrate it.

Why We Celebrate Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day originated from the Roman festival Lupercalia, which was held in mid-February and celebrated the coming of spring. The festivities included a variety of activities, like parades, feasts, and a fertility pairing of men and women by lottery.

The Pope replaced the pagan festival with Valentine’s Day in the 5th century to honor St. Valentine, who defied orders from the Emperor and married couples in secret to help husbands avoid the war. To arrange the forbidden weddings, small love notes were used to ensure the couple arrived at the same secret location—these papers were later called valentines. The traditional, pagan feasts were adapted to celebrate his beliefs on love.

Why Chocolates Are Exchanged on Valentine’s Day

Cacao beans were once as valuable as gold in Mesoamerica, and this luxury item was enjoyed by the elite class. Christopher Columbus returned to Europe with the beans, and the import quickly grew popular among the rich.

Chefs became chocolatiers, using the bean to create decadent, bite-sized deserts in various shapes and filled with nuts or fruits. At the time, these treats were expensive to create and purchase, so giving someone chocolate showed deep affection and the financial ability to provide a lifelong commitment.

Today, there are even more flavors and shapes to choose from, making it easy to select a variety that suits your Valentine’s tastes. If you want to give them decadent Hawaiian chocolate, get the sweets from Dole/Tropical Fruits Distributors of Hawaii in Honolulu or check out Wailua Estates. If your loved one lives far away, the company can even ship the goodies to them in time for Valentine’s Day. Get more information about their shipping policies online, or call (808) 847-3234 to place an order for Hawaiian chocolate.