Valentine's Day: A Global Phenomenon
As Valentine’s Day approaches yet again on the 14th of February, millions of us will be rushing to the supermarkets and card shops to purchase traditional gifts, such as flowers and chocolates, as a way of showing our appreciation for somebody special. However, this is just one way of celebrating the occasion. Around the world, different cultures celebrate this day of love differently, carrying out various traditions and customs as a way of demonstrating their love for a significant other.
Here are some of the most interesting ways that Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world:
Here are some of the most interesting ways that Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world:
CHINA
The Chinese Valentine’s Day is a time for couples to express their love, which they usually do with an array of elaborate gifts and gestures. Qixi Festival also brings an air of romanticism to the streets of China, with couples gazing into the night sky in search of the stars Vega and Altair. Qixi is a time to bake and qiǎoguǒ (a type of sweet pastry). Traditionally, women also pray to Zhinü for wisdom, a good husband, and a happy life.
The Chinese Valentine’s Day is a time for couples to express their love, which they usually do with an array of elaborate gifts and gestures. Qixi Festival also brings an air of romanticism to the streets of China, with couples gazing into the night sky in search of the stars Vega and Altair. Qixi is a time to bake and qiǎoguǒ (a type of sweet pastry). Traditionally, women also pray to Zhinü for wisdom, a good husband, and a happy life.
ARGENTINA
Argentineans don't feel that Valentine's Day alone is enough to celebrate their love for one another. Instead, they devote an entire week in July to the occasion, calling it La Semena de la Dulzura, or Sweetness Week.
Once a year, Argentineans up on chocolates and other sweet treats in anticipation of the holiday. Couples spend the week giving each other sweets and chocolates in return for kisses and other marks of affection. It’s a popular time for dating throughout the cities, and restaurants are often booked to capacity. It’s also estimated that confectionary sales increase by about 20% during the week!
Argentineans don't feel that Valentine's Day alone is enough to celebrate their love for one another. Instead, they devote an entire week in July to the occasion, calling it La Semena de la Dulzura, or Sweetness Week.
Once a year, Argentineans up on chocolates and other sweet treats in anticipation of the holiday. Couples spend the week giving each other sweets and chocolates in return for kisses and other marks of affection. It’s a popular time for dating throughout the cities, and restaurants are often booked to capacity. It’s also estimated that confectionary sales increase by about 20% during the week!
SOUTH AFRICA
Most couples in South Africa celebrate the day with the well known traditions of romantic dinners, chocolates and gifts. However, some people follow the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia.
This festival has its roots in the ancient Roman empire, and was observed annually between February 13-15 to avert evil spirits and releasing health and fertility. The festival had a sort of match-making element, in which which men would draw the names of women out of a jar in a sort of lottery - occasionally, these matches would lead to marriage. The festival is no longer celebrated, yet some South Africans, in an ode to Lupercalia, will pin their lover's name on their sleeves.
Most couples in South Africa celebrate the day with the well known traditions of romantic dinners, chocolates and gifts. However, some people follow the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia.
This festival has its roots in the ancient Roman empire, and was observed annually between February 13-15 to avert evil spirits and releasing health and fertility. The festival had a sort of match-making element, in which which men would draw the names of women out of a jar in a sort of lottery - occasionally, these matches would lead to marriage. The festival is no longer celebrated, yet some South Africans, in an ode to Lupercalia, will pin their lover's name on their sleeves.
WALES
The Welsh celebrate Valentine’s Day a bit earlier, on the 25th January and mark the occasion by gifting their significant other with so-called 'love spoons'.
The spoons are a long-lasting tradition where Welsh men carefully carve spoons and present them to the woman they were interested in. The designs they carved were symbolic and often had hidden clues. For example, the number of beads attached represented the number of children the man was expecting his beloved to produce.
The Welsh celebrate Valentine’s Day a bit earlier, on the 25th January and mark the occasion by gifting their significant other with so-called 'love spoons'.
The spoons are a long-lasting tradition where Welsh men carefully carve spoons and present them to the woman they were interested in. The designs they carved were symbolic and often had hidden clues. For example, the number of beads attached represented the number of children the man was expecting his beloved to produce.
NORWAY
In Norway, couples will celebrate Valentine's Day by playing poetry games with each other, with a prize at the end.
Secret admirers send the objects of their desire anonymous little poems called gaekkebrev - the only clue to their identity being a dot representing each letter of his name.If the recipient guesses who the poem is from, they earn themselves an Easter egg on Easter. If she fails to identity the sender, the man reveals his identity and the woman must give him a chocolate egg.
In Norway, couples will celebrate Valentine's Day by playing poetry games with each other, with a prize at the end.
Secret admirers send the objects of their desire anonymous little poems called gaekkebrev - the only clue to their identity being a dot representing each letter of his name.If the recipient guesses who the poem is from, they earn themselves an Easter egg on Easter. If she fails to identity the sender, the man reveals his identity and the woman must give him a chocolate egg.