In Canada, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on Feb. 14 to recognize love and relationships of all kinds.
We have our traditions of giving gifts like candy, chocolate, flowers, and “Valentines” to our loved ones, typically with a focus on our romantic partners. But what does Valentine’s Day look like in other cultures?
Finland
Since the 1980s, Finland moved away from the romantic aspect of the holiday and focused more on friendships. The holiday is called Ystävänpäivä, which translates to “Friend’s Day” and is also celebrated on Feb. 14.
Friends can be seen going out to brunch or dinner to celebrate their bond and often give each other cards. The national postal office hires an additional 150 carriers during the season due to the influx of letters.
South Korea and Japan
Valentine’s Day is more one-sided in South Korea and Japan. On Feb. 14, women are supposed to give gifts to the important men in their lives. The reason for this is because exactly one month later, on March 14, they celebrate White Day, where men give women gifts.
Korea has 12 “love days,” always on the 14th of each month, all with a different name, most notably on April 14, when single people get gifts.
And what type of gifts are we talking about? Chocolates.
Back when women couldn’t directly tell their love interests their affections, they used heart-shaped chocolates to convey their feelings. It has become the most popular time of the year for chocolates, with convenience stores setting up large displays in their windows.
South Africa
While other countries like to focus on all kinds of relationships, South Africa focuses on couples. The already popular holiday destination becomes a hotspot during the Valentine’s Day season. Bars, clubs, sandy beaches, and restaurants are packed for the week surrounding the holiday, with couples journeying to spend time with their loved ones.
Both tourist and local couples give each other Valentyns Kaarjie or love cards that express their affection for each other. However, gift-giving is less essential than the quality time that couples spend together. Another prevalent tradition is young women pinning their partner’s name on their sleeves and wearing it out during the day.
Brazil
Brazil has unique Valentine’s customs as they don’t celebrate the holiday on the 14th or even in February. The Brazilian economy booms during the popular Carnival season in February, when many single people and friends flock to Brazil to escape the romantic season and party the nights away.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day would be at a loss because of the type of crowds Brazil hopes to attract during the season. So to make up for this, Brazilians celebrate Dia dos Namorados, “Lover’s Day,” on June 12. The date was chosen due to its correlation with another Saint of Love, Saint Anthony’s Day (considered the “matchmaking saint”) on June 13.
Most people give each other gifts of chocolates and candy and go on romantic dates. Due to the party culture, couples, friends, and single people go out to special events hosted at clubs, bars, and raves.
Final Thoughts
It’s evident that people across the world love to celebrate love. From chocolate to meaningful cards to pinned names, people take time to show their affection for one another. This shows us that a holiday can be more than just a superficial way to sell more cand; it can be a way to make a deeper connection with our loved ones.