Valentine's Day, commemorating Saint Valentine, a priest in Rome during the 3rd century, has evolved into a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love worldwide.
Gain a deeper understanding of diverse customs and traditions from around the globe, expanding your knowledge and appreciation.
Join us on a cultural exploration journey to broaden your horizons today!
The celebration of Valentine's Day is rooted in the actions of Saint Valentine, who defied Emperor Claudius II's ban on marriage for young soldiers.
Saint Valentine clandestinely performed marriages for young lovers, leading to his execution when the emperor discovered his actions.
The popularity of Saint Valentine grew, and people worldwide began observing Valentine's Day as a day of love.
However, it wasn't until the 14th century that Valentine's Day transformed into a widely celebrated day of romance.
Explore six unique Valentine's Day traditions from various parts of the world and infuse a sense of excitement into your celebrations this year.
Kenya
In Kenya the day is all about love, lovers typically send love messages to each other, go out on dates, and some spend the day with their friends and families.
While to some it's just a typical day for them. Kenya is adorned with red decorations on the day and a lot of chocolate is bought.
Germany
The day honors the Saint Valentine of Raetia, who is regarded as the protector of individuals with epilepsy.
Germans celebrate Valentine's Day by exchanging gifts such as chocolates, flowers, and even pigs.
The pigs represent love and lust and can be given to a love interest as a picture, a small ornament, or made of chocolate.
In China :
Valentine's Day, a commercial holiday celebrated worldwide on the 14th of February, was introduced in China in 1980.
Women often give chocolates to their partners as a gesture of appreciation and love, and men are expected to reciprocate the gift-giving a month later.
In the Japan :
On Valentine's Day in Japan, it is customary for women to give chocolates to the men they love.
Nowadays, this tradition has also extended to the workplace, where women are expected to give chocolates to all their male colleagues as a sign of obligation, known as "Giri Choco".
France
It is believed that the first-ever Valentine’s Day card originated in France, when Charles, the Duke of Orleans, sent love letters to his wife from prison in 1415.
The French village called “Valentine” turns into the epicenter of romance between the 12th and 14th of February.
It probably is the most beautiful Valentine’s Day tradition in the world as one can see the beautiful yards, trees, and homes decorated with love cards, roses, and proposals for marriage flakes.
Estonia
Estonia celebrates a friendship day called Sobrapaev on Feb 14th.
Not just couples, but family members and friends also exchange gifts and celebrate love.
Slovenia
St Valentine is one of the patron saints of spring. It is believed that on February 14, plants start to regenerate as this day marks the first day of working in the fields for the New Year.
Another belief is one must walk barefoot through fields that are often still frozen in order to witness birds 'propose'.
As Valentine's Day celebrations are set to happen all over the world, the day is banned in countries like Indonesia, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.
This is due to the day's conflicting views with the Islamic culture.
You now have different inspirations to celebrate your valentines, don't let it be a dull day.
Whether you decide to send flowers to your Valentine, or chocolates, make sure you don’t give your loved one an unwelcome surprise too.
