A brief history of the Valentine s Day chocolate box
How a Victorian era marketing ploy led to one of our favorite Valentine s Day traditions
Heart-shaped boxes of chocolates have become one of the most popular Valentine s Day gifts Photo courtesy of iStock / Liliboas Advertisement
Boxes of chocolates have become synonymous with Valentine’s Day. In fact, leading up to February 14th, Americans buy about 58 million pounds of chocolates. It’s a classic tradition that has become an iconic symbol of love. But when did our love for showing affection with boxes of chocolates begin?
Considering the long history of chocolate – which goes back as far as 450 B.C. when the Mayan, Aztec, and Olmec civilizations made drinking chocolates – eating chocolate candies is a relatively new concept. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the culture of drinking chocolates became increasingly popular throughout Europe.