February is already in the yard, and very soon lovers from different parts of the world will give gifts to their chosen ones, confess their love and help florists fulfill or even exceed the plan.
The stores are already full of hearts of different sizes, colors and materials, confession cards and plush hares and bears. However, not all countries prefer to celebrate Valentine's Day with chocolate, flowers and postcards. In different parts of the world, the traditions of celebrating St. Valentine's are different, and some Valentine's Day is celebrated on a completely different day. For example, in Wales on January 25, it is customary to give loved ones very beautiful wooden spoons, and in the Philippines on February 14, mass wedding ceremonies are held.
Germany
In this country, Valentine's Day is a holiday exclusively for adults, so kids don't give cute homemade cards to their friends and the prettiest girls in the class. There are plenty of postcards, small heart-shaped souvenirs and plush toys in stores. However, what distinguishes Germany is the huge number of piglets - chocolate, paper, plush, gingerbread. If all over the world the pig is associated only with money, in Germany the round pig is a symbol of luck and passion, which is why they are the most popular gift that German couples give each other. In addition, gingerbread cookies in the form of pigs with declarations of love written in icing are often more popular here than chocolate.
South Korea
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Usually significant gifts on Valentine's Day are expected from the strong half, but in South Korea the opposite is true. There, women are the first to give gifts to their chosen ones and life partners. A month later, the Korean White Day comes when men love them. But that's not all. For those who are not yet lucky enough to find their soul mate, two months after Valentine's Day, that is, April 14, Black Day comes when lonely people gather in various establishments and order themselves black noodles for dinner.
Japan
In the Land of the Rising Sun, it is customary to give chocolate to women, but this tradition has several nuances that are important to remember. At work or school, colleagues and friends expect a must-have chocolate, or giri choco, as a gift. More expensive, complex and often hand-made chocolate, or honmei choco, indicating "real feeling," women give to their loved ones. In addition, if they do not have the patience to wait for reciprocity on White Day, Japanese women can treat themselves to jibun choco, which means "an hour of chocolate for yourself."
Italy
In Italy, Valentine's Day is positioned as a holiday exclusively for lovers, in contrast to many other countries where the target audience includes friends, colleagues and relatives. On this day in Italy, Baci Perugina chocolate is especially popular. Each small chocolate bar from the box is wrapped in a wrapper with a romantic message for your beloved or loved one. Translated from Italian, baci means "kisses". Thus, the Italian lovers exchange chocolate kisses with each other.
Denmark
Instead of red roses on Valentine's Day, Danes give their beautiful halves snowdrops. Often, lovers write "comic letters" to their passions, attaching a dried snowdrop to them and signing with dots. If the passion guesses who the message came from, the sender is obliged to give her an Easter egg before Easter.
France
Not surprisingly, France is often the destination for romantics on Valentine's Day, with Paris being called the capital of love. Previously, lovers gathered on the Pont des Arts, connecting the two banks of the Seine, in order to hang a padlock with their names on it, and throw the key into the river. This served as a sign of eternal love. However, in 2015, due to excessive weight, the locks were removed and the railings were replaced. Now it is not so convenient to hang a castle on them, but romantics find other bridges.
Oddly enough, but Paris is not the only place in France where lovers come from all over the world on Valentine's Day. The small village of San Valentin, named after the patron saint of lovers, hosts an annual festival on February 14. Tourists and locals alike play weddings, both first and anniversary, and plant trees to symbolize their love.
Mexico
In this Central American country, Valentine's Day is known as the Day of Love and Friendship. This is a holiday for everyone, regardless of marital status and relationship status. Giving gifts, the most popular of which are sweets, cards and balloons, can be given not only to romantic partners, but also to beloved friends.
China
Today, Valentine's Day with its traditions is gaining popularity in China, yet the traditional Qixi festival is considered to be the Chinese holiday of lovers. The name of the festival literally translates as the Night of Sevens, and it is also called the "magpie holiday". Traditionally, on this night, Chinese girls made a wish to marry successfully. Today, Qixijie's traditions are more like Western Valentine's Day celebrations, except that it usually falls in August.
Finland and Estonia
In Finland, you can't feel lonely on Valentine's Day, because this day is about friendship as much as it is about romantic love. They call it that - Friends Day. This, of course, does not mean that lovers fade into the background.
In Estonia, on February 14, “buses of love” are popular, which invite all single people who want to find their soul mate.
Slovenia I
In Slovenia, Valentine is considered the patron saint of spring. With the arrival of his day, preparatory work for the sowing season began in the fields, so there was not much time left for love. However, this does not mean that there is no Valentine's Day in Slovenia: Saint Gregory, whose day falls on March 12, took over the mantle of St. Valentine.
Peru
Valentine's Day is celebrated relatively unremarkably in Peru, the only significant difference is that instead of roses, Peruvians give their chosen ones and darlings orchids, which grow in large quantities in a humid climate.
Czech Republic
Valentine's Day is celebrated in the same way as in the rest of Europe: gifts, congratulations, bouquets and dates. However, the main Czech Day of Love is considered the first of May, when it is customary for lovers to kiss under the branches of a blossoming cherry, which symbolizes happiness, prosperity and health.
Israel
Valentine's Day doesn't have a special holiday spirit in Israel. For the inhabitants of this country, Tu-Be Av is the holiday of lovers, which falls approximately in the middle of summer. This is a holiday of love and rebirth, and the Jews believe that the marriage concluded on this day will be long and happy.
Brazil
The Brazilian patron saint of marriage and procuring is not Saint Valentine, but Saint Anthony, whose day - June 12 - replaced Valentine's Day for Brazilian couples. On the night of June 11-12, single girls write down men's names on pieces of paper and put them under the pillow. They take out one piece of paper right after they wake up in the morning. The chosen name indicates the groom.
Hope Chikanchi