This is Valentine's Day and while an unofficial holiday, it's one of the most observed occasions of the year. Its origins are a mix of legends involving two Christian martyrs, a Roman fertility rite and the notion that this is the time of year when birds choose their mates. What is sure is that Esther Howland of Massachusetts began selling the first mass-produced valentines in the 1840s.

Now, Valentine's Day is one of the biggest occasions in the country's greeting card shops. It's also a busy time for the nation's jewelers, florists and candy stores. There are some 3,400 candy stores across the U.S. Americans consume an average of 26 pounds of candy a year.

You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau on the Web at www.census.gov.