
I hope that everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day! Whether you're single or married, engaged or just friends, love can come in all forms. Since Kiki posted a great article about the greatest love stories, I thought I would post some of the Valentine's traditions from around the world. Enjoy!
In ancient England, children used to dress up like adults and visit homes singing love songs. In Wales, lovers exchange wooden love spoons.
During the middle ages, the young unmarried men and women used to draw names from the bowl to see who their valentines would be and then they would wear the names on their sleeves for a week.
In some countries it is believed that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on this day then she will get married to a sailor, if she sees a sparrow then she will get married to a poor man but she will be very happy. A woman who sees a goldfinch on this day will get married to a millionaire
(Source: funmunch.com)
In Australia: Valentine's Day Festival has a history of extravagant celebrations in Australia. It is said that during the Australian gold rush period miners became extremely rich due to the new wealth found from the Ballarat Mines. These miners ordered extravagant Valentines amounting to thousands of pounds at a time. Some of the most lavish Valentines were made of a satin cushion and were perfumed and ornately decorated with flowers and colored shells. Some were even adorned with taxidermied humming bird or bird of paradise. This valuable treasure used to be kept in a neatly decorated box.
In Britain:Early Valentine's Day Tradition in Britain
Unmarried girls in Britain and Italy used to wake up before sunrise on Valentine's Day. They believed that the first man they see on Valentine's Day or someone who looks like him would marry them within a year. Girls, therefore, used to wake up early to stand by their window and wait for the man to pass. William Shakespeare, the famous English playwright, mentions this belief in Hamlet (1603). Ophelia, a woman in the play, sings:
Good morrow! 'Tis St. Valentine's Day
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your valentine!
Another popular belief held by people of Great Britain made women pin four bay leaves to the corners of their pillow and eat eggs with salt replacing the removed yokes on Valentine's Day eve. Unmarried girls to dream of their future husband followed the custom. Unmarried ladies also used to write their lover's names on paper and put them on clay balls that they would drop into the water. It was believed that whichever paper came up first, that man would be their future husband!
In Japan:Valentine's Day is celebrated in an interesting manner on two different dates in the country of Japan. On February 14, female present gifts to their boyfriends or any man close to them. The favor is returned to ladies on the White Day celebrated on March 14 when men pamper women who gave them gifts a month before on Valentines Day.
Tradition of Gifting Chocolates
There is a strong tradition of women gifting chocolates to men on Valentines Day in Japan. It is seen that two types of chocolates are more popular for Valentine's Day. One type of chocolate called giri-choco is bought for friends, bosses, colleagues and close male friends. ‘Giri' in Japan means obligation hence these types of chocolates has no romantic association. Giri chocolates are mostly bought from the store. Ladies make sure they pass on giri-choco to please all men close to them as it is seen that men who do not receive any chocolate feel embarrassed.
Chocolates for boyfriends, lovers or husbands are special ones and are called hon-mei. Many Japanese girls think that it is not true love if they buy Valentine's day chocolates for their boyfriend and hence honmei -choco is usually prepared by girls themselves. Men feel lucky if they receive honmei (prospective winner)-choco on Valentine's Day.
As chocolate is the most popular gift for the occasion, days before the festival department and grocery stores stock themselves with chocolates in large variety to lure customers. It is estimated that more than half the chocolate sold in a year is sold around Valentines Day in Japan.
Tradition of Celebrating White Day
White Day celebration in Japan is said to have been initiated as a marketing tool by marshmallow chocolate company in the 1960s. On March 14 or White Day men are supposed to give return gifts of chocolates to women who gifted them chocolates on February 14. The color of the chocolate is generally white because of the name of the day. These days, men also gift flowers, candies and other gifts along with the chocolates.
France:History of Valentine's Day in France
History of Valentine's Day Festival has a strong association with France. It is said that during the Middle Ages, there was a popular belief in France and England that birds began to mate halfway through the second month of the year. For this reason lovers saw the day special and considered it auspicious to exchange love letters and tokens of love on Valentine's Day. During fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, French and English poets and litterateurs too stressed on this idea and created a romantic image of the day in the minds of the people.
Valentine's Day Cards too are said to have originated in France. A young Frenchman, Charles, Duke of Orleans is said to have written the first written Valentine's Day Cards. The Duke who was captured at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 is said to have written a poem or ‘Valentine' to his wife while imprisonment in the Tower of London.
Valentine's Day Custom in France
People in France once followed a peculiar Valentine's Day custom called “drawing for”. Unmarried young and old people would go into houses facing each other and begin calling out across from one window to another and pair off with their chosen partner. If the young man failed to be particularly enthralled with his valentine, he would desert her. A bonfire would be lit later where ladies would burn images of their ungrateful lovers and hurl abuses at them. The ritual was eventually abandoned as it left much room for nastiness and ridicule. French government handed-down a decree and officially banned the custom.
There was also a custom in France to exchange elegant cards containing tender messages called cartes d'amities. These were not essentially Valentine and resulted chiefly due a trend popular in England.
Italy:Valentine's Day was initially celebrated as a Spring Festival in Italy. Celebration for the day was held in the open air. Young people would gather in tree arbors or ornamental gardens and enjoy listening to music and reading of poetry. Later they would stroll off with their Valentine into the gardens. The custom steadily ceased over the course of years and has not been celebrated for centuries.
Early Valentine's Day Tradition in Italy
In the Italian City of Turin, betrothed couple used to announce their engagement on the Valentine's Day. Several days ahead of February 14, stores were decorated and loaded with a huge variety of bon-bon. Some even sold china baskets and cups filled with delectable Valentine's Day candies and tied with a ribbon. These were to be presented as gifts to Valentine.
Another interesting Valentine's Day tradition followed in Italy and Britain made unmarried girls to wake up before sunrise. People strongly believed that the first man an unmarried girl sees on Valentine's Day, or someone who looks like him would marry her within a year. Girls therefore used to wake up early on Valentine's Day and stand by their window to watch a man pass.
Valentine's Day Celebration in Italy
People of Italy see Valentine's Day as a holiday imported from US, just like Halloween and Mother's Day. For the love and lovers country of Italy, the major day for celebration of love is il giorno della festa degli innamorati. As lovers' exclusively celebrate this day family members and friends do not exchange gifts.
In recent times however, lovers in Italy celebrate Valentine's Day by expressing their love to sweethearts. Couples usually go out for dinners at pizzeria or ristorante. Just as in several other countries, the festival has been commercialized to a great extent. There is a strong tradition to exchange gifts like rose, perfume, chocolates and diamonds depending on the age and taste of person. Another popular Valentine's Day gift in Italy is Baci Perugina - a small, chocolate-covered hazelnuts containing a small slip of paper with a romantic poetic quote in four languages
India: Valentine's Day celebration is a recent phenomenon in India but has caught the fancy of people to a great extent. Though some see it as a western import and hesitate to celebrate, there exist a large and growing number of those who love the feeling behind the beautiful and romantic festival. Especially to the Indian youth February 14 signifies love - a day when people express their affection for others. Just as several other countries, people in India too celebrate the Valentine's Day by exchanging cards and gifts.
Euphoria of Valentine's Day festival can be experienced weeks before the festival. Television, radio and print media start creating hype about the festival by covering all facets of it. Gift marketers and card companies launch a rigorous campaign to lure the youngsters. Card and gift shops are interestingly decorated with symbols of Valentine's Day including roses, cupid and heart shaped balloons. Shopping malls in metropolitan cities organize fun-filled competitions and distribute discount coupons to lure the consumers.
On February 14, the Valentine's Day restaurants, discos, Cineplex, pubs and pizza parlors see a particularly busy time as couples celebrate the day in togetherness. Many boys and girls even propose to their sweetheart on this romantic day. People also express love to their friends, teachers, siblings and parents. Popular Valentine's Day gifts exchanged in India include chocolates, fresh flowers, cards, soft toys and candies. These are also clubbed with several other gifts to pamper sweethearts.
China:The celebrations of Chinese Valentine's Day or Qi Qiao Jie - the seventh eve is quite different from usual Valentine's Day celebration we see in rest of the world. There are specific and colorful rituals for the day besides the usual exchange of flowers, cards and chocolates as tokens of love between lovers.
Following the tradition, lovers visit the Temple of Matchmaker on the Chinese Valentine's Day and pray for their love and happiness and their possible marriage. Singles too visit the temple on the day and ask for their luck in love.
The Chinese Valentine Day is also known as the Daughter's Festival. Chinese girls always wished to learn a good handcrafting skill like the weaving maid. On the night of the Chinese Valentine's Day, unmarried girls offer prayers to the Weaving Maid star and seek blessings to become smarter. When the star Vega is high up in the sky, girls perform a test by putting a needle on the water surface. If the needle doesn't sink, it's a sign of girl's maturity and smartness indicating she is eligible to find a husband. Girl who passes the test may ask for any one wish. It is also traditional for young girls in China to demonstrate their domestic arts, especially melon carving, on this day. Chinese Valentine's Day is therefore also known as The Festival to Plead for Skills, The Seventh Sister's Birthday and The Night of Skills.
In some provinces of China, people decorate the ox's horn by flowers on the Chinese Valentine Day in a belief that the ritual will save them from catastrophe. Following the age old tradition women also wash hair to make them look fresh and shining. Children wash their face the next morning using the overnight water for a more natural and beautiful look.
Stargazers celebrate the festival by looking up at star Vega on the east of the Milky Way which represents Zhi Nu, and at the constellation Aquila, on the west side of the Milky Way, where Niu Lang waits for his lover to join him.
Denmark:Lover's Card
The tradition of 'lover's card' is the most popular and romantic Valentine's Day custom in Denmark. Earlier, these cards came in the form of transparent cards which reflected the picture of a lover presenting his beloved a wonderful gift when it was kept in front of light. Now any card is called a Lover's Card. Every card shop is stocked up with colorful and musical lover's card with charming Valentine messages.
Custom of White Flowers
People celebrate the custom of White Flower with immense love and care. As per the tradition, people send white flowers called 'snowdrops' to their friends and lovers.
Tradition of Gaekkebrev
Young couples also write special love poems, beautiful romantic love notes and some funny poems known as 'gaekkebrev'. It is customary for the sender of gaekkebrev to pen down a rhyme for his beloved. He is not required to put his name on it. He signs the message with dots for the lady. Now, the girl who receives the card is supposed to guess the name of the sender. If she is able to guess the right name, then she is rewarded with an 'Easter Egg' on that very year.
Valentine's Day Celebrations in Denmark
Valentine's Day is celebrated with great parties and get togethers all over Denmark. Different flowers, gifts and cards are sent across the world to the near and dear ones. In Denmark, various Valentine events take place such as musical concerts, display shows, game shows and art exhibitions take place. People book party halls and restaurants for the celebration with their Valentine. Some people love to visit the Little Mermaid, Den Lille Havfure in Copenhagen and the famous Tivoli amusement park specially on Valentine's Day while some plan special Valentine at an appealing holiday spot.
Scotland:Valentine's Day celebrations is not a grand affair in Scotland. People prefer small get-togethers or a romantic candlelight dinner. They exchange gifts and cards with their loved ones to make them feel special.
Various games are played in Scottish Valentine parties. In a most popular game, an equal number of men and women are made to write their names on a piece of paper which is then folded and placed into a hat. One hat is for ladies and the other one is for men. The female then draws one name from the men's hat and the chosen man has to stick with his Valentine throughout the party. Later on, gifts are exchanged and Valentine's Day is greeted with hugs and kisses. Such wonderful Valentine games often result in unusual marriages.
South Africa:Valentine's Day celebrations begin well in advance in South Africa. Shops and market places are beautifully adorned with fragrant flowers, love symbols like cupid, love birds, hearts and in traditional African style decorations. Week long parties and celebrations take place in various clubs and hotels. These activities highlight the tradition and South African culture. People totally indulge themselves in the African culture and art to celebrate the occasion of Valentine. Be it an old man of 60 or a young lass of 16, the joy of celebrating love is same in everybody.
Different events take place in various parts of South Africa. All the discotheques, pubs and restaurants are completely booked. South Africans as well as tourists attend huge balls where they match their dancing steps and flow in the Valentine mood with different alcoholic beverages. People of South Africa like to visit wildlife parks and sanctuaries with their friends and families. Many other events like river rafting, mountaineering amidst the exotic islands of Cape Town and Johannesburg are main attraction of the day. Luxurious resorts gives the most enthralling view and rated as one of the best place to spend a romantic evening. Apart from this, a very popular small coastal village Hermanus is just the place to be. Grand festivities are marked in the city of Durban, where innumerable tourists flock in large numbers.
(source: Stvalentinesday.org)
Do you have any special Valentine's Day traditions? What is your idea of the perfect Valentine's Day? How did you spend your day?