Cupid began as a Greek God. The Cupid we know and always associate with Valentine’s Day was once known to the ancient Greeks as Eros, the god of love.

According to History.com, Eros, the son of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, would use two sets of arrows. One arrow for love and another for hate. He used his arrows to play with the emotions of his targets. It wasn’t until Romans told stories of his mischief that he adopted the childlike appearance we recognize today.

To learn more interesting facts about Valentine’s Day, visit History: Valentine’s Day Facts.

Each February, NHLBI and The Heart Truth^® celebrate American Heart Month. It is a month to celebrate not only life but also a way to motivate Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles. American Heart Month is a great time to think about reducing your cardiovascular disease risk. Start the Seven days of self-care this week and start the road to preventing heart disease.

Want to learn more about American Heart Month? Visit the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

January has been National Blood Donor Month since 1970. President Richard Nixon proclaimed January 1970 as the first National Blood Donor Month to pay tribute to voluntary blood donors and encourage new donors to join and get more comfortable with donating blood.

Want to learn more about National Blood Donor Month? Visit American Blood Center.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service?  Each year Americans across the country use MLK Day of Service as an opportunity to volunteer and improve their communities. Want to learn more about Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service, visit United We Serve.

Important Reminder: January 16, VNFA offices will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Some people are not drinking champagne, setting off fireworks, or kissing their spouse at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Instead, some have a unique tradition of eating twelve green grapes in the last twelve seconds of the countdown. This tradition is done to ward off bad luck in the new year. Twelve lucky grapes are supposed to be a way to bring 12 wishes to completion in the next year.

Will you be getting green grapes this New Year’s Eve? Read more on New Year’s Twelve grapes.

Christmas has many interesting facts:

1. Christmas wasn’t always on December 25.
2. “Jingle Bells” was originally a Thanksgiving song.
3. The Dutch gave us the idea to leave cookies and milk.
4. Coca-Cola played a part in Santa’s image.
5. Hanging stockings started by accident.
6. Celebrating Christmas used to be illegal.
7. Candy canes originated in Germany.
8. Santa has his own Canadian postal code.

Want to read more interesting facts about Christmas, visit 35 Interesting Christmas Facts.

Facts about Hanukkah

1. The word Hanukkah means “dedication.”
2. Hanukkah lasts for eight nights, to commemorate how long the holy light burned.
3. A Menorah is lit each night of the holiday.
4. Gifts were not always given for Hanukkah.
5. Hanukkah dishes are fried for a reason.

Want to know more about Hanukkah?

Today is Giving Tuesday. According to GivingTuesday.org, Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement encouraging giving and the celebration of generosity. Giving Tuesday was originally created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good, but that idea has grown into more than just one day. Learn more about giving Tuesday, visit the Giving Tuesday website to get more information.

November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

According to The Alzheimer’s Association financial planning often gets pushed aside when a person is dealing with the stress of their diagnose. Here are four steps that will help you when planning.

1. Knowing where to begin.
2. What care cost?
3. How will you pay for care?
4. What professional assistance is available?

Want to dive into “Financial Planning” read the full article by The Alzheimer’s Association on what steps to take for your financial future.