February Facts.

The second month of this year and officially the third (and last) month of winter is closing to its end, bringing the end of the season ever so closer as well. Not that we here in Scandinavia can tell, buried under all the snow.

I guess everyone knows that it is the shortest month of the year. But did you know that February is the most misspelled month? Its name is derived from the Latin word "Februum", which means "purification", via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 in the old Roman calendar.

Here is a collection of Fun February Facts:

∗Amethyst is the birthstone for February.

∗The flower of February is violet or primrose.

∗February is National Cherry and Chocolate Month (among countless others), which explains all those Valentine's Day gifts of chocolate-covered cherries.

∗In February 1847, the United States Post Office introduced adhesive stamps, which simplified post office operations along with one's mailing process for Valentine's Day, February 14th.

∗A few selected birthdays:
Thomas A. Edison, American inventor, was born on February 11, 1847.
Galileo, Italian astronomer and physicist, was born on February 15, 1564.
Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, was born on February 19, 1473.
Victor Hugo, French poet and novelist, was born on February 26, 1802.
American frontiersman William Frederick Cody, better known as "Buffalo Bill," was born in February 1846.

∗And the best fact for me: The day has in my part of the world increased by 3 hours and 30 minutes since the winter solstice.