Born in ancient Rome and popularized in the Middle Ages, Valentine’s Day has spread throughout the world. But make no mistake: this holiday isn’t celebrated the same way everywhere—not even on February 14th!
And as February 14th approaches, the world is preparing to celebrate Valentine’s Day with rituals whose diversity goes far beyond the traditional bouquet of red roses.
While in France a candlelit dinner remains the norm, many countries cultivate unique traditions: in Japan, it is the women who give chocolates to the men, distinguishing between « Giri-choko » (obligatory chocolates for colleagues) and « Honmei-choko » intended for their sweetheart, who must reciprocate a month later on White Day.
In South Korea, single people even have their own « make-up day, » « Black Day » in April, where they console themselves by eating black noodles.
Conversely, in Denmark, people exchange « gaekkebrev, » humorous poems cut from paper and signed with dots whose number corresponds to the letters of the sender’s first name, while in Wales, the age-old tradition is to give carved wooden « love spoons. »
In South Africa, women literally pin their hearts to their sleeves, writing their partners’ names on them—a custom inherited from the Roman Lupercalia.
Latin American countries, such as Mexico and Colombia, prefer to celebrate « Love and Friendship Day, » transforming the holiday into a collective celebration where close friends exchange gifts.
In the Philippines, the trend is toward giant mass weddings where hundreds of couples say « I do » simultaneously, organized by the municipalities.
In Verona, Italy, thousands of letters are addressed to Juliet, Shakespeare’s heroine, seeking her advice on love, while in Estonia, « Friend’s Day » is celebrated to include everyone in the festivities.
Finally, in Germany, the pig is a symbol of luck and lust, often depicted on Valentine’s Day cards and pastries, proving that love can take poetic and surprising forms depending on the region.