As one of the many traditions of Valentine’s Day, chocolate is given as a token of love. Sales of chocolate soar in February as men buy chocolate for their wives and girlfriends. According to some industry statistics, women purchase about 75% of the chocolate candy sold each year. However, about 75% of chocolate candy purchases in the days before Valentine’s Day are made by men buying it for women.

Over $1,000,000,000.00 of chocolate is purchased for Valentine’s Day. This is in addition to their Valentine’s Day purchases of flowers and jewelry for the ladies in their lives.

All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt!
Lucy Van Pelt in Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz

Chocolate has been considered divine, valuable, and decadent since it was first discovered. The first chocolate candies were concocted by Cadbury in the 1860s. They were also the first to put them in a heart shaped box for Valentine’s Day. In a survey conducted by Debra Waterhouse, author of Why Women Need Chocolate, the data found: 97% of women reported cravings, 68% of which are for chocolate, 50% would choose chocolate over sex, and 22% were more likely than men to choose chocolate as a mood elevator.

Elaine Sherman, aka ‘Madame Chocolate’, once wrote, “Chocolate is heavenly, mellow, sensual, deep, dark, sumptuous, gratifying, potent, dense, creamy, seductive, suggestive, rich, excessive, silky, smooth, luxurious, celestial. Chocolate is downfall, happiness, pleasure, love, ecstasy, fantasy… chocolate makes us wicked, guilty, sinful, healthy, chic, happy.”

On Valentine’s Day, nothing says “I LOVE YOU” more clearly than a box of chocolates.

Some of the best chocolate on the island is found at our local Peterbrooke Chocolatier. Be sure to check out what Sandy Carroll has created for Valentine’s Day. Peterbrooke is located in the Publix Shopping Center on Amelia Island.