How Valentine’s Day is Celebrated Around the World

Candy hearts, big boxes of chocolate and pastel colored stuffed animals on the store shelves let us all know that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and we better start shopping. Sure a card, flowers and a nice dinner out all are among the typical plans of many, but Valentine’s Day often looks a lot different in other countries. Here’s how this day of love is celebrated throughout the world.

Denmark
Valentine’s Day has only been celebrated in Denmark since the 1990s. Flowers are given, but in the form of snowdrops, which are essentially just white flowers that have been pressed. Lover’s cards are sometimes given instead of greeting cards. They are transparent and have a picture of the giver in them. Men give women a “joking letter” called a gaekkebrev. It’s a rhyme or funny poem and signed with dots that are anonymous. The women who receives it is supposed to try to guess who the sender is. If she guesses correctly she will earn an Easter egg.

England
Women who are single right before Valentine’s Day in England will put five bay leaves on top of their pillows, with one in the center and the other ones in the corners. By doing so these leaves are supposed to bring dreams to the women that reveal their future husbands. Children also get into Valentine’s Day as well. They wait to hear Old Father Valentine knock on their door. Then they go outside to find gifts and candies on their porch.

France
Being that France is one of the world’s most romantic cities, it makes sense that this day would be filled with romance. Valentine’s Day is all about love, exchanging gifts and being with your significant other. In the past, men would gather in one house and women would gather in another house that faced the men’s house. Those in the houses would take turns calling out to each other and then pair off. Women who didn’t find a match would go to a bonfire afterwards where they would burn pictures of men who had done them wrong. Eventually these bonfire became banned because they got out of hand.

Philippines
Valentine’s Day celebrations in the Philippines are similar to those in the United States. One thing that’s really catching on is getting married on this day. These aren’t the traditional ceremonies that we’re used too as hundreds of couples gather together in public areas, such as malls, and have one mass wedding ceremony.

South Korea
Young lovers really get into Valentine’s Day in South Korea. In fact, starting in February and lasting through April, there is some sort of celebration each month. On February 14th women give men chocolate, flowers and candies. White Day, which falls on March 14th, is when men give their ladies gifts, chocolates and flowers. There’s even a day for those that don’t have a sweetheart: Black Day. This occurs on April 14th and singles sit alone and eat black bean paste noodles called jajangmyeon.

Wales
Those in Wales don’t technically celebrate Valentine’s Day, but they do celebrate a very similar day on January 25th called Saint Dwynwen. One of the most romantic gifts given isn’t chocolate or jewelry, but a wooden love spoon. Welsh men carve intricate designs into these spoons as a symbol of love for their significant other.

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