Originally a Chistian feast day to honour the martyr Saint Valentine, it’s long been taken over by folk tradition to become a day of love.
What we now know as Valentine’s Day started in 15th-century France where the occasion was marked with singing and dancing.
The now-familiar custom of sending cards, flowers, chocolates started in the UK, with the first pre-printed cards being sold in the late 18th century.
It wasn't until the 20th century that Valentine’s Day became a major commercial event – notably when the Hallmark greetings card company started mass-producing cards in 1913.
Here are 21 pictures of how Valentine’s Day has been celebrated in Scotland in years past.
![Teenage boys queue up to use the 'Kissing Booth' at the Inverkeithing High School Valentine's Day disco in 1979.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOmY0Y2M2MWRlLWVlNWEtNDYyNy1hMzNkLTIzNDAyOTY2MDM1MTo1NzhlZDU0Zi03MDI5LTRkMGEtYjQ5Mi1iZWUzZGRlNzgxNzc=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
1. Kissing Booth
Teenage boys queue up to use the 'Kissing Booth' at the Inverkeithing High School Valentine's Day disco in 1979. Photo: Crauford Tait
![Preparing for the last minute rush on Valentine's Day 2015 at Glasgow's Johnston and Scott flower merchants.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjAyODJmYWE4LWM2YjUtNDFiOS1hZDllLTYyNmFlODAyOTExNTplZWEzODBlZS00YjZmLTQ2NzEtODFhOC0wOWEwNDUzNDY3N2U=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
2. Blooming good business
Preparing for the last minute rush on Valentine's Day 2015 at Glasgow's Johnston and Scott flower merchants. Photo: Jeff J Mitchell
![A young couple pictured with Valentine's cards in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens in 2003.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjE4MDhmM2IyLWVmMGQtNDU4Ny1hMWYwLTUzMWU3ODMyOTBhMzo4NjU1ZmNhNC0zMmJkLTQ2ZDItOTdlNy0zNzIxYzkzOTQ5NjE=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
3. Sealed with a kiss
A young couple pictured with Valentine's cards in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens in 2003. Photo: David Moir
![Leafcutter ants carrying peppers cut into the shape of hearts at Blair Drummond Safari Park in 2020.](https://www.scotsman.com/webimg/b25lY21zOjE1MGVhMDkzLTRmMzItNDIwNC04NTUwLTY0MjgzYzUyMDQyYTpiYTU1YWJmOS0xZGUyLTQ1ZjMtYWQwNy1hZTY3ZTNmZDA0MWI=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=640)
4. Cut it out
Leafcutter ants carrying peppers cut into the shape of hearts at Blair Drummond Safari Park in 2020. Photo: Andrew Milligan