# Sweets for Valentine's Day

**Canonical URL:** https://sweeties.net/wiki/sweets-for-valentines-day/
**Source:** sweeties.net, online pick and mix sweet shop

## Summary

Valentine's sweets: Chaucer's poem of 1382, Cadbury's heart shaped box of 1868, conversation hearts, Japan's obligation chocolate, and a mix for two.

## Description

Valentine's Day falls on 14 February, and giving sweets is part of it. The custom of sending cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts began in the UK.
From Chaucer to Cadbury
Saint Valentine's feast is not known to have had anything to do with romance until Geoffrey Chaucer. His poem the Parliament of Fowls, from 1382, is believed to be the first record linking the day with romantic love, in a dream of birds gathering to choose their mates.
Chocolate joined in centuries later. In 1868 the British firm Cadbury created Fancy Boxes, decorated boxes of chocolates shaped like hearts, for Valentine's Day: see the history of chocolate in Britain
Hearts with messages
Sweets that say something have a long history. In America, Daniel Chase began printing sayings on sweets in 1866, and the heart shaped conversation sweets called Sweethearts started in 1901. Their maker, Necco, produced nearly 8 billion a year before the brand was bought by the Spangler Candy Company in 2018.
Britain has its own: Love Hearts, tablet sweets printed with messages such as Be Mine, made by Swizzels in Derbyshire since 1954. They grew from Victorian message sweets: see Love Hearts
Japan's different rules
In Japan, Valentine's chocolate runs the other way. The confectioner Morozoff introduced the day in 1936 and began promoting heart shaped chocolates in 1953. Women give chocolate to men, including giri choko, obligation chocolate, for colleagues. Japanese chocolate companies make half their annual sales at this time of year. Then, on 14 March, White Day, men are expected to return the favour, a day the Japanese confectionery industry campaigned for in the 1980s. South Korea keeps a similar pattern.
A pick and mix for two
Red and pink sweets suit the day. We sell SW032, SW030 and SW006 by the 100 g, and each card opens up to show the full ingredients and allergens for the sweets we actually stock. If your valentine has an allergy, check every card before you buy: see pick and mix and allergies
For more gift ideas, see sweet hamper ideas

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