The History of the Heart-Shaped Box

A heart-shaped box of chocolates has become a Valentine's Day staple across the globe. Have you ever wondered where this tradition of giving chocolate in a heart-shaped box originated? Chocolate has been associated with love for centuries, but it wasn't until the mid-1800's that chocolate became a popular gift amongst lovers for Valentine's Day!

Although the Aztecs are often credited with making the connection between chocolate and love, Richard Cadbury is the man behind one of the most popular Valentine's Day gifts today, the heart-shaped box of chocolates. In the early 1840s, Valentine's Day became a commercial holiday with an emphasis on gift-giving, but it wasn't until 1868 that Richard debuted the heart-shaped box. As the popularity of Valentine's Day grew, so did the sales of lavish goods and gifts that were purchased for the holiday. Richard would use illustrations of his family, Alpine scenes, and other beautiful imagery to decorate the boxes of chocolate. With the addition of these illustrations, the boxes became more than just a gift to eat and toss. In the Victorian era, many recipients of these heart-shaped boxes would enjoy the sweet treats and then keep the box to store cards, lockets of hair, and other treasured mementos from their Valentine. Although Richard's heart-shaped box of chocolates was a big hit, he never actually patented his creation. 

Today, it's estimated that more than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are sold for Valentine's Day each year. From truffles to toffee, heart-shaped boxes are now filled with every sweet treat you could imagine. If you're still searching for the perfect heart-shaped box to gift to your Valentine this year, shop our selection in our Valentine's Day Collection.