Valentine's Day around the world
In Canada, Valentine's Day is celebrated with romantic dinners, chocolate and much more. People in other countries have their own unique ways of showing their significant other their feelings.
Qixi Festival
CHINA
DATE CELEBRATED: The seventh day of the seventh lunar month; this year it is August 13
WHAT IT IS: Qixi Festival is sometimes called the Chinese Valentine's Day, but that's not really the point of the festival. Qixi comes from the story of cowherd and the weaver girl. In this, the cowherd and weaver girl fall in love, get married and have children; the problem was that the weaver girl was a fairy, and was supposed to marry another fairy, and the cowherd was a mortal. The Goddess was not happy with this and sent the weaver girl back to the heaven, without telling her husband. The husband did the Goddess' gruesome task in order to get his wife back from heaven, but the Goddess was not happy with this, and so she scratched a river in the sky to separate the couple forever. Once a year, magpies are sympathetic towards the couple and make a bridge to bring the lovers together. This day is Qixi Festival.
EVENTS: Young couples exchange flowers and gifts and go out for dinner. Families may also get together at this time. Chinese communities also organize different events. In Hangzhou, the capital city of the Zhejiang Province in Eastern China, they hold the Qi Xi Speed Match-Making Event where people get together with hopes of finding a mate through various events.
FOR MORE INFO: ilearn-culture.com
Valentine's Day
BRITAIN
DATE CELEBRATED: February 14
WHAT IT IS: Valentine's Day honours Pope St. Valentine, who was killed by King Claudius in AD 269 because he was illegally marrying Roman soldiers. Later, in AD 496, Pope Gelasius honoured St. Valentine with a feast that was held February 14. In some parts of Britain, Valentine's Day is called the Birds' Wedding Day, as it is believed that on February 14, birds come together to find their mates.
EVENTS: Lovers write idealistic verses, lyrics and sonnets as a tribute to St. Valentine and exchange gifts and cards. Many people, especially children, play Valentine's Day music to receive treats in return. There is a belief in Britain that on February 14, the first man a young girl sees out her window is the one she is meant for. It is also common to eat baked buns with caraway seeds on top, as well as raisins and plums.
FOR MORE INFO: indobase.com
FRANCE
DATE CELEBRATED: February 14
WHAT IT IS: Charles the Duke of Orleans was captured by the British at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, and could not be with his wife on Valentine's Day. To make up for this, he sent the first modern Valentine's card with poems and love letters from his cell. Valentine's Day is meant to celebrate affection between two people in any kind of relationship.
EVENTS: People exchange cards, kind words and gifts; fresh cut flowers are a popular choice. It is also a tradition to visit the town of Saint Valentin in Indre, since it was named after St. Valentine himself. The town holds festivals and events to celebrate love around February 14.
FOR MORE INFO: tinyurl.com/valentinesday-francesource
ITALY
DATE CELEBRATED: February 14
WHAT IT IS: Valentine's Day became popular in Italy in the Middle Ages, and it was celebrated as a spring festival. Over the years, this tradition slowly faded and transformed into what is celebrated today.
EVENTS: Many couples get engaged or married on this day. Italian shops are also decorated days in advance for this event and sell lots of candy and chocolate. Italians, like the British, also have the tradition of unmarried girls waking up early to look out the window: they believe that the first man the girl sees that morning is the one she is going marry a year later. In Italy, gift exchanges are exclusive to couples; family members are not involved. These gifts range from chocolate to diamonds.
FOR MORE INFO: tinyurl.com/valentinesday-italysource
JAPAN
DATE CELEBRATED: February 14
WHAT IT IS: Valentine's Day entered Japan in 1939 from an advertisement by Morozoff Ltd., which was aimed at foreigners. In 1953, the company started to promote the giving of heart-shaped chocolates, and other Japanese retailers followed suit. The campaigns became more popular during the 1960s, and the Valentine's Day custom became the norm from there on.
EVENTS: Women feel obligated to give chocolate to the men in their life, no matter their relationship. The chocolates have a ranking corresponding with the woman's relationship to the man; the woman's husband would get the best, most expensive chocolate, while a co-worker the woman disliked would receive obligatory cheaper chocolate. Dinner dates and flowers are quite unpopular in Japan, as the focus is on giving everyone the right amount of chocolate.
A month after Valentine's Day is White Day, when men give white chocolates to the women in their lives to balance things out.
FOR MORE INFO: tinyurl.com/valentinesday-japansource
El Día del Amor y la Amistad
(The Day of Love and Friendship)
Mexico
DATE CELEBRATED: February 14
WHAT IT IS: An important part of Mexico's culture is having the freedom to express feelings towards one another. An individual's emotional value is very important in the Mexican culture, and formed the basis of many Mexican traditions and customs. Valentine's Day is one of the most popular holidays in Mexico.
EVENTS: Decorations like balloons, flowers, hearts and many other symbols of love are displayed. Heart-shaped red rose flower arrangements are a popular gift. Flowers in general are a big part of Mexican Valentine's Day, as they make the perfect gift for any type of relationship. Mexican couples also enjoy parties and dancing to express their love for each other, as well as going out for dinner. Dinner is the most popular thing to do on Valentine's Day, and reservations need to be made weeks in advance.
FOR MORE INFO: tinyurl.com/valentinesday-mexicosource
Qixi Festival
CHINA
DATE CELEBRATED: The seventh day of the seventh lunar month; this year it is August 13
WHAT IT IS: Qixi Festival is sometimes called the Chinese Valentine's Day, but that's not really the point of the festival. Qixi comes from the story of cowherd and the weaver girl. In this, the cowherd and weaver girl fall in love, get married and have children; the problem was that the weaver girl was a fairy, and was supposed to marry another fairy, and the cowherd was a mortal. The Goddess was not happy with this and sent the weaver girl back to the heaven, without telling her husband. The husband did the Goddess' gruesome task in order to get his wife back from heaven, but the Goddess was not happy with this, and so she scratched a river in the sky to separate the couple forever. Once a year, magpies are sympathetic towards the couple and make a bridge to bring the lovers together. This day is Qixi Festival.
EVENTS: Young couples exchange flowers and gifts and go out for dinner. Families may also get together at this time. Chinese communities also organize different events. In Hangzhou, the capital city of the Zhejiang Province in Eastern China, they hold the Qi Xi Speed Match-Making Event where people get together with hopes of finding a mate through various events.
FOR MORE INFO: ilearn-culture.com
Valentine's Day
BRITAIN
DATE CELEBRATED: February 14
WHAT IT IS: Valentine's Day honours Pope St. Valentine, who was killed by King Claudius in AD 269 because he was illegally marrying Roman soldiers. Later, in AD 496, Pope Gelasius honoured St. Valentine with a feast that was held February 14. In some parts of Britain, Valentine's Day is called the Birds' Wedding Day, as it is believed that on February 14, birds come together to find their mates.
EVENTS: Lovers write idealistic verses, lyrics and sonnets as a tribute to St. Valentine and exchange gifts and cards. Many people, especially children, play Valentine's Day music to receive treats in return. There is a belief in Britain that on February 14, the first man a young girl sees out her window is the one she is meant for. It is also common to eat baked buns with caraway seeds on top, as well as raisins and plums.
FOR MORE INFO: indobase.com
FRANCE
DATE CELEBRATED: February 14
WHAT IT IS: Charles the Duke of Orleans was captured by the British at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, and could not be with his wife on Valentine's Day. To make up for this, he sent the first modern Valentine's card with poems and love letters from his cell. Valentine's Day is meant to celebrate affection between two people in any kind of relationship.
EVENTS: People exchange cards, kind words and gifts; fresh cut flowers are a popular choice. It is also a tradition to visit the town of Saint Valentin in Indre, since it was named after St. Valentine himself. The town holds festivals and events to celebrate love around February 14.
FOR MORE INFO: tinyurl.com/valentinesday-francesource
ITALY
DATE CELEBRATED: February 14
WHAT IT IS: Valentine's Day became popular in Italy in the Middle Ages, and it was celebrated as a spring festival. Over the years, this tradition slowly faded and transformed into what is celebrated today.
EVENTS: Many couples get engaged or married on this day. Italian shops are also decorated days in advance for this event and sell lots of candy and chocolate. Italians, like the British, also have the tradition of unmarried girls waking up early to look out the window: they believe that the first man the girl sees that morning is the one she is going marry a year later. In Italy, gift exchanges are exclusive to couples; family members are not involved. These gifts range from chocolate to diamonds.
FOR MORE INFO: tinyurl.com/valentinesday-italysource
JAPAN
DATE CELEBRATED: February 14
WHAT IT IS: Valentine's Day entered Japan in 1939 from an advertisement by Morozoff Ltd., which was aimed at foreigners. In 1953, the company started to promote the giving of heart-shaped chocolates, and other Japanese retailers followed suit. The campaigns became more popular during the 1960s, and the Valentine's Day custom became the norm from there on.
EVENTS: Women feel obligated to give chocolate to the men in their life, no matter their relationship. The chocolates have a ranking corresponding with the woman's relationship to the man; the woman's husband would get the best, most expensive chocolate, while a co-worker the woman disliked would receive obligatory cheaper chocolate. Dinner dates and flowers are quite unpopular in Japan, as the focus is on giving everyone the right amount of chocolate.
A month after Valentine's Day is White Day, when men give white chocolates to the women in their lives to balance things out.
FOR MORE INFO: tinyurl.com/valentinesday-japansource
El Día del Amor y la Amistad
(The Day of Love and Friendship)
Mexico
DATE CELEBRATED: February 14
WHAT IT IS: An important part of Mexico's culture is having the freedom to express feelings towards one another. An individual's emotional value is very important in the Mexican culture, and formed the basis of many Mexican traditions and customs. Valentine's Day is one of the most popular holidays in Mexico.
EVENTS: Decorations like balloons, flowers, hearts and many other symbols of love are displayed. Heart-shaped red rose flower arrangements are a popular gift. Flowers in general are a big part of Mexican Valentine's Day, as they make the perfect gift for any type of relationship. Mexican couples also enjoy parties and dancing to express their love for each other, as well as going out for dinner. Dinner is the most popular thing to do on Valentine's Day, and reservations need to be made weeks in advance.
FOR MORE INFO: tinyurl.com/valentinesday-mexicosource
