How Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world

You can show someone you love them in many different ways. Different countries have different traditions when it come’s to celebrating Valentine’s Day, here are a few to inspire you:

1. Japan: Women give gifts, mainly chocolates to men to Valentine’s Day instead of the other way round. Different chocolates have different meanings and are given to different people like friends, acquaintances and lovers. Men return the favour on a day called “White Day” a month later.

2. South Korea: Valentine’s Day is one of 12 love days celebrated by the country. Every month on the 12th Koreans celebrate a love day namely, Candle’s Day, Valentine’s Day, White Day, Black Day, Rose Day, Kiss Day, Silver Day, Green Day, Music Day, Wine Day, Movie Day and Hug Day respectively.

3. Taiwan: Taiwan follows a similar tradition to Japan, except roles are reversed with men buying gifts on Valentine’s Day and woman buying gifts on White Day.

4. Denmark and Norway: “Gaekkebrev” which are rhyming love notes or short, funny poems are sent by men anonymously to women on Valentine’s Day with the only clue from the sender the number of letters in his name, represented by a dot for each letter. A guessing game then ensues, the winner of which receives an Easter Egg the following Easter.

5. Slovenia: Here the first day of spring is celebrated as St. Valentine is seen as a saint of the spring. It is a good day to start working in vineyards and fields. It is said that birds of the fields propose and get married on this day and to witness it one must what walk bare feet on the ground.

6. Finland and Estonia: Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate friendship more than romantic love and people wish each other ‘Happy Friend’s Day”. It is however a good day to get engaged and married.

7.Ghana: The Day is also known as “National Chocolate Day” to promote cocoa exports which is major in the country’s economy. The day is celebrated through museum exhibits and chocolate themed menus in restaurants to promote chocolate sales.

8. Philippines: Popular here is a mass wedding celebration bringing together hundreds of couples to be married in wide open spaces in a huge public ceremony.

How will you make Valentines’s Day special this year?

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