Red roses, proposals, superstitions – and a thousand paper cranes: Mira Shin explores how Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world.
In anticipation of the world’s best-known lovers’ occasion, Valentine’s Day, the ubiquitous symbols of love abound – with roses, chocolates, cupids and red hearts adorning the retailers and leisure establishments in many parts of the world. So how did all this excitement over Valentine’s Day start and how do people in different parts of the world celebrate love, Valentine’s Day or not?
Valentine’s day around the world
We uncovered two prevailing theories for the origin of Valentine’s Day from The National Geographic – one quite raucous and another more romantic. Like Halloween, some scholars claim that Valentine’s Day may have its root in pagan festivals, Lupercalia, celebrated annually in ancient Rome on February 15, where men stripped naked, grabbed whips and spanked young maidens in hopes of releasing fertility. Wildly popular, the fervor over Lupercalia lasted well into the fifth century A.D. – at least 150 years after Constantine legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire despite the attempts by the ancient Christians to stamp it out.
For people who ascribe the origin of Valentine’s Day to Lupercalia, the relics of the Roman festivals are still present. For example, young South Africans often find out who their secret admirers are on February 14, as it is common for young girls in South Africa to pin the name of their sweetheart on their sleeve on Valentine’s Day.
This tradition is literally called Lupercalia in South Africa in honor of the ancient Roman festivals. Similar tradition also exists in Scotland where Valentine’s Day is celebrated with a festival. At this festival, an equal number of unmarried males and females write their name on a slip of paper which is then folded and placed into a hat.
Hence, “wearing your heart on your sleeve” is not just a proverbial phrase that was popularized by a Shakespeare’s play in the 17th Century, but is thought to be derived from the activities from the Lupercalia festivals, which included a matchmaking lottery where the names of willing young women were placed into a jar and drawn by young, unmarried man to form a pair.
Some deny that Lupercalia festivals have any connection to Valentine’s Day since the rites of the ancient Roman festivals were purely devoted to fertility, not love. If the ancient Christians were unsuccessful in quelling the popularity of Lupercalia entirely, the Christian church in the Middle Ages was at least successful in placing a veil of gentility over the pagan overtone when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as Valentine’s Day, pegging its origin to the legend of Saint Valentine who supposedly died in prison on February 14 for performing secret marriages for young lovers.
According to the church, Saint Valentine valiantly defied the decree of the Roman Emperor Claudius II who, in an attempt to bolster his army for many unpopular wars, forbade all marriages in Rome, assuming that unattached men make better soldiers. Some also suggest that while in prison, Saint Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter, and before his death, sent her a love letter, which he signed “From your Valentine,” an expression used to this day, often by secret admirers.
While the origin of Valentine’s Day may be contested, this informal, now secular, the holiday is well-known all across the globe and celebrated in many places. Of course, the occasion is also marked with a healthy dose of cynicism, seen as hype roared on by commercial opportunism. Cynicism and debates aside, the significance of the occasion has grown in scope over the years to encompass friendship and gratitude beyond romantic love.
In every culture and society, love has been celebrated in some way, big or small, since the dawn of the time and it’s a sure bet that the celebration will continue as long as there are people who fall in love and stay in love. So, we explore different love traditions and the variations of Valentine’s Day around the world.
U.S. / Canada
Valentine’s Day is huge in the U.S. and Canada. And, probably in no other place in the world is the Valentine’s Day celebrated with more passion than in the U.S. Dinner and dance parties are organized all over the country to publicly celebrate the occasion. Many couples also celebrate privately with romantic dates at home or restaurants. You know it’s a serious business when 53% of the U.S. women declare they will bid adieu to their relationship if they do not receive a Valentine’s gift from their lover.
In a recent poll, some 80% of Canadians said they planned on celebrating Valentine’s Day in some shape or form with their significant others, and 52% said their children and other family members will join in on the fun.
Brazil
The February 14th Valentine’s Day is skipped all together in Brazil. With the date falling too close to its blockbuster Carnival season, the global clamour of Valentine’s Day has yet been able to reverberate through the roisterous carnival-goers. Instead, Brazilians celebrate Dia dos Namorados (“Lovers’ Day” or “Day of the Enamored”) on June 12th, the day before Saint Anthony’s Day. Homes and streets are steeped in festive spirits with elaborate decorations, parades and samba dances. Similar to Valentine’s Day, couples exchange romantic gifts and go on special dates, but Brazilians of all ages, young and old, participate in the celebration, sharing special meals and arranging parties to spend quality time together with friends, family and relatives.
The celebration of love continues through the next day, Saint Anthony’s Day (June 13th), a religious holiday dedicated to the Portuguese patron saint of matrimony. Depending on their wishes whether it’s meeting a new lover, finding a husband or rekindling an old flame, different simpatias (rituals designed to obtain something desired) are performed by single women. To find a boyfriend, for instance, the ritual starts in the morning of Dia dos Namorados when the women write their own names on a blue ribbon. Later in the evening, they count seven stars without pointing while praying to Saint Anthony.
Finally, the next morning on Saint Anthony’s Day, women tie their blue ribbon around an icon of Saint Anthony and leave it there until they find a new love.
China / Japan / Korea
In East Asia, especially in China, Japan and Korea, there are several shared ancient and modern romantic traditions. For instance, the lunar July 7th is observed across the region in honor of the Chinese legend that goes back at least 2600 years, which involves a sad love story between a heavenly Weaver Maiden and an earthly Cowherd, who are for eternity only allowed to reunite on the seventh day of the seventh month each year in the Lunar calendar.
In more recent years, Valentine’s Day has left an undeniable impact in the entire region, with different variations of the day keep popping up and spreading with great fervor. Japan is credited with coming up with the first adaptation on Valentine’s Day in the region. The variations include:
February 14 – the original Valentine’s Day
March 14 – the Japanese originated “White Day”
April 14 – the Korean originated “Black Noodles Day
November 11 – the Chinese originated “Single’s Day” or “Bare Stick Day”
Japan
On Valentine’s Day (February 14), chocolates packaged in heart-shaped boxes take center stage in Japan. There are two types of chocolates Japanese women gift to men, “Giri” and “Honmei”. Giri chocolate, usually inexpensive and store-bought, holds no romantic connotation and is given to platonic male friends, colleagues or teachers. In contrast, Honmei (translates to “favorite”) chocolate is usually handmade and given to one “true” love. If a man receives expensive looking, handmade chocolate, he can safely assume that he is her one and only true love, a Honmei.
At first glance, the gift-giving custom of Valentine’s Day in Japan appears quite one-sided, since on February 14th, only women present gifts to men and men give nothing back in return. However, this isn’t because Japanese men are an impolite ungrateful bunch or trying to live up to their notoriety as being stoics. Instead, they have the Japanese confectionary industry to thank for having their hands tied until White Day, which falls on March 14.
The confectionary companies in Japan have successfully concocted this entirely new cultural phenomena in 1978, which has became a permanent cultural fixture. Therefore, Japanese men must wait a whole month from Valentine’s Day, before they can return the romantic favors. As the name suggests, expensive white chocolates are popular gift of choice.
China
In addition to Valentine’s Day and White Day, China celebrates Single’s Day on a grand scale on November 11, because the date comprises of four lonely “1s”. Single’s Day was initially started in the 90’s as a joke by a group of university students as an antidote to the Valentine’s Day blues in Nanjing, a “relatively small” city by Chinese standard. Blind date parties and university festivals are popular activities designed to either celebrate or escape singledom.
What’s more notable, however, is the fact that Single’s Day has become a formidable cultural force in this Internet era, as the Chinese online giant, Alibaba, and other ecommerce sites have turned the Single’s Day into China’s version of “Cyber Monday” and “Black Friday”. On November 11, 2015, the world witnessed the biggest online shopping spree in history, with the Chinese ecommerce site, Alibaba, racking up a record-breaking $14.3 Billion in sales, blowing past the previous year’s $9.3 Billion.
Korea
As is in China and Japan, in addition to Valentine’s Day and White Day, November 11th is also observed, but only minimally with a Korean twist. Known as Pepero day, it started in the mid-90s when two middle school girls exchanged a box of Pepero, a Lotte brand cookie sticks dipped in chocolate, in hopes of becoming taller and thinner. Nowadays, people usually exchange Peperos as a small, casual way to show affection to lovers, friends and acquaintances.
Interestingly, another variation of Valentine’s Day (as an anti-Valentine’s Day) has emerged and gained a huge popularity in Korea in recent years – Black Noodle Day (or Jajangmyeon Day). Take note that Black Noodle Day follows exactly one month after the Japanese originated March 14 White Day. The number “4” is the Asian equivalent of the unlucky number 13, because it is pronounced the same way as the Chinese character “death”.
So, April 14 is the day that all the dejected singles bemoan and drown in their sorrow by devouring a bowl of Jajangmyeon, a popular noodle dish drenched in sweet, caramelly black bean sauce, a Korean comfort food, equivalent to Mac & Cheese or Spaghetti.
More Gestures of Love…
Austria
Women in Austria do not expect to receive flowers on Valentine’s Day, but in keeping with how things are generally done in Austria, the romance is in the detail. There is a long-standing tradition that if a man is to give flowers to his sweetheart, Valentine’s Day or not, he better find out the exact colour, fragrance and type of flowers his lover likes.
Bulgaria
Globalization brought Valentine’s Day to Bulgaria, but for the most part, February 14 is still reserved for a traditional Bulgarian celebration – the feast of St. Trifon Zarezan to honor the patron of vine growing and wine producing.
Denmark
In place of dozen red roses , friends and sweethearts exchange pressed white flowers called Snowdrops. Danish men sometimes send their admirers a love note, gaekkebrev (or “joking / teasing letter”). The joke, or the tease, lies in the fact that the man does not sign the letter with his name but with dots…one dot for each letter in his name, teasing women to figure it out.
England
On the eve of Valentine’s Day, rural English women used to pin bay leaves sprinkled with rosewater on their pillow to see their future husbands in their dreams.
Japan / Korea
A boy or girl will give a thousand cranes to someone they like after painstakingly folding one crane at a time, using origami paper. This ritual was first popularized by a girl who folded a thousand cranes in hopes of getting well from her atomic illness, inspired by the Japanese legend that says if someone folds 1000 thousand cranes his / her wish comes true.
Italy
A popular Valentine’s Day gift in Italy is Baci (“kisses” in Italian), which are small, chocolate-covered hazelnuts wrapped with a print out of romantic notes in several languages. The maker of Baci, Perugina, is located in the city of Perugia where the famous Eurochocolate festival is held annually in October.
About the Author: Born in Seoul, Korea, Mira calls both Seoul and San Francisco home. She’s been a global nomad the last few years, but currently lives in Vienna. She works in marketing at TourRadar and also helps out in the office wherever she’s needed! She likes to travel and loves dining out, art, literature, yoga, movies and webtoons — and is stoked about her first 5K run this spring!
