Good to Know: February 2026
Just a few things we’d thought you’d like to know this month
Love, Actually
Want to impress your date on Valentine’s Day? Try some well-timed facts. The holiday traces its roots to ancient Rome, where February 14 marked the fertility festival Lupercalia. The oldest known valentine was written in 1415, and today Americans exchange an estimated 145 million cards each year. And red roses carry special meaning, long associated with Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love. RD.com
Facial Fermentation
The kombucha trend is more than skin-deep — and is for more than just drinking. Phoenixville-based brewer Olga Sorzano, owner of Baba’s Bucha, recently launched A Culture Factory, a kombucha-infused skincare line. Products include face masks, cleansers and toners, face and eye serums, body scrubs and oils made with organic, food-grade ingredients like essential oils, grass-fed tallow and plant actives. Order online. ACFSkincare.com
Funding Freedom
Got big plans for America’s 250th birthday bash? The Chester County Community Foundation wants to help. Local nonprofits and municipalities can apply for an America250 Let Freedom Ring Mini-Grant. Grants are awarded monthly to support local programs, events and initiatives commemorating the semiquincentennial and our continuing journey toward liberty and justice for all. Applications are available online. CCCF250.org
We the Bobbles
To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame unveiled a special Declaration of Independence bobblehead set. Based on John Trumbull’s famous painting, the set features Jefferson, Adams, Franklin and Hancock, with the rest of the signers depicted in a replica of the painting behind their bobbling heads. Sets are individually numbered through 1,776 and available for preorder. BobbleheadHall.com
Golden Banishments
For 50 years, Lake Superior State University has reached out with a Banished Words List of 10 massively overused words and phrases, hoping to incentivize people to cut them from their vocabulary, full stop. The top spot was taken by the ubiquitous six-seven, which is absolutely cooked in 2026. This year LSSU also gifted us a not-so-demure list of repeat offenders that have been banished multiple times. Did we miss any? If not, perfect. If so, well, my bad. LSSU.edu/Traditions/BanishedWords
Our Favorite Resources
- Berk Hathaway Holly Gross
- Berk Hathaway Country Prop
- Chester Cty Community Fdn
- Chester Cty Hosp, Penn Med
- Chester Cty Library System
- Colonial Theatre
- Delaware Museum of Nat & Sci
- Key Financial, Inc.
- King Construction
- Mercedes Benz
- Osher Lifelong Learning
- Ron’s Original
- Tim Vaughan
- West Chester BID
- Walter J. Cook