In the United States , Valentine ’s Day means cards , flowers , and hard - to - rent dinner party mental reservation . As the Western vacation has spread around the world , many cultures have put their own spin on it . Some of these custom — such as mickle weddings in the Philippines — are charming , while others — like obligatory gift - giving in Japan — inspire feelings that are less than warm and fuzzy . When Valentine ’s Day arrives on February 14 , these are some ways lovebirds around the world will be lionize .
1. Denmark celebrates Valentine’s Day with poems and codes.
Valentine ’s Day in Denmark is a chance for secret admirers to evince their feelings with a winding . Instead of ship straightforward love letters , man in Denmark send funny poem calledgaekkebrevto the objects of their affection . The composition - cut short letter are signed anonymously with a job of dots at the bottom , one for each letter in the transmitter ’s name . If receiver can guess their mystic friend ’s indistinguishability base on this clue alone , the sender owe them anEaster testis .
2. In Japan, it’s tradition for women to give men sweets on Valentine’s Day.
In the 1950s , achocolate companyintroduced Valentine ’s Day to Japan in promise of cashing in on the Western custom . But something got lost in version . rather of show more conventional images of military man giftingchocolateto the madam in their lives , early ads insisted Valentine ’s Clarence Day was a chance for women to bribe chocolate for humankind . The proffer resonate with people , and today it ’s a full of life part of Japanese Valentine ’s solemnization . The custom is n’t limited to romantic partners . In a practice have it off asgiri choco(translated as “ obligation chocolate ” ) woman are expected to buy cocoa for the human being in their lives on February 14 , including their male coworkers . This gets as expensive and socially complicated as you might gestate , and it has become so unpopular with women that many work have bannedgiri chocoaltogether . If Japanese women are dreading Valentine ’s Day , they can look forrad to White Day on March 14 , when men return the favor with natural endowment of their own .
3. In South Africa, women pin their Valentine’s name to their sleeves.
People in South Africa literally wear their hearts on their sleeves on Valentine ’s Day . It ’s become atraditionfor women there to write down the name of their lovers — or their mystic crushes — and immobilize it to their shirt sleeve . It ’s believe the custom was inspired byLupercalia , a raucous ancient Roman fertility festival that also fell inmid - February .
4. Thousands of people get married on Valentine’s Day in the Philippines.
Valentine ’s mean solar day is a popular wedding ceremony day of remembrance in the Philippines . Each year , in honor of the holiday , local administration hostmass weddingsfor couples who may not be able-bodied to afford a more traditional hymeneals ceremony on their own . These event are ordinarily preside over by local governance official . In 2019 , the city manager of the City of Dasmariñas married around 500 couples at once .
5. In Wales, lovers traditionally gift each other symbolic spoons.
The Welsh version of Valentine ’s Day isDydd Santes Dwynwen , or Saint Dwynwen ’s Day , and is celebrated on January 25 . The most decided vista of the vacation , which respect the Welsh patron saint of lover , involves exchanging love spoon . These are exactly what they go like : fancy wooden spoons chip at with symbol representing the gifter ’s love . It ’s believed the custom may have started with Welshsailorscourting prospective wives , and it ’s still used as a romantic motion in Wales today . handcraft love spoons can sellonlinefor between $ 50 and $ 100 .
6. Valentine’s Day in Estonia is about friendship.
Valentine ’s Clarence Day in the United States is all about distich , but in Estonia , one are n’t left out . Their variation of the holiday is calledFriends Day , and friendly relationship is treat as just as worthy a cause for celebration as romantic love . If they are looking for a dear link , individual people can hinge on a special “ making love autobus ” that shuttle them around with other eligible bachelor and bachelorettes .
7. El Salvador celebrates Valentine’s Day with a loving twist on Secret Santa.
El Salvadorians lionize Valentine ’s twenty-four hour period with a game call “ Secret Friend . ” Anyone who ’s participate in aSecret Santagift commutation around Christmastime will recognise it . A radical , such as a social class of kids , writes everyone ’s name on pieces of paper and draws slips . The name someone plunk is the person they have to bribe a gift for by Valentine ’s Day . The tradition has a sentimental twist that correct it aside fromSecret Santa , though : When it ’s clip to give their gift , the giver must sayone kind thingabout the recipient role .
