Valentine celebrations are not just about celebrating Valentine’s Day but it’s about celebrating love and togetherness. No matter which part of the world you live in, love will always be there. Valentine celebrations are there in every part of the world. Let’s take a look at how valentine is celebrated the world over.
North America
Valentine celebrations begin with sending valentine greeting cards to friends and your beloved. Children enjoy classroom parties with Valentine sweets and card exchanges. Children make fancy envelopes or boxes in which they put their cards into. They also make homemade valentine cards out red paper or other fancy papers. Teenagers have dances or parties to enjoy Valentine’s Day in their own special way. Adults exchange flowers, candy or some other gift for their partner. Valentine chocolate or candy is also generally packaged in heart-shaped boxes sometimes decorated with lace and such. Mexicans celebrate Valentine's Day but the day goes by another name; "Dia de San Valentin" or "Dia del amor y la armistad" is a day of love and friendship.
Europe
People who live in Austria and Germany present their wives roses or chocolates on Valentine’s Day. In Denmark, Valentine’s Day is celebrated with lot of excitement, the early Valentine cards were transparent and when held up to the light, a picture of a man handing a woman a present would be projected. Another way of enjoying Valentine celebrations in Europe is by giving pressed
white flowers known as Snowdrops to your loved ones. Another popular way of celebrating Valentine’s Day, is by sending a gaekkebrev" or joking letter by a man with a romantic verse written on it. The man signs his name with a number of dots that correlate with the number of letters in his name.
In England Valentine celebrations happen in a completely different way. On Valentine's Day Eve, women used take their pillow and pin a bay leaf on each of the four corners and consume eggs where the removed yolks were replaced with salt. They were confident after doing this they would dream about their future husband. There is one more custom where women would write the names of their lovers on paper. These papers were put on clay balls which were dropped into water. Whichever paper surfaced first would bear the name of their future husband.
In Italy it’s tradition to get engaged on the Valentine’s Day. Popular gifts are china baskets and cups that have been filled with Valentine's candies. In Scotland, Valentine is celebrated with a festival where unmarried males and females gather together. Each individual writes their name (or a fictitious one) on a piece of paper which is folded and then put into a hat, one for the women and a separate one for the men.
Asia
The Chinese Valentine’s Day is separate from the normal Valentine’s Day celebrated on February 14th. In China, Valentine celebrations are according to the Chinese Calendar. To know more about Chinese Valentine’s Day click here.
In Japan, Chocolates are the most important part of the Valentine celebrations. Women give a box of chocolates ("Giri-choko") as a token of friendship or gratitude to her boss, colleagues, and male friends. Giri-choko" translates as "obligatory chocolate."
One of the most unique ways of celebrating Valentine’s Day is in Philippines, where thousands of couples gather together for the world record of the most couples kissing at one time. This festivity is called Lovapalooza.
Thailand also has a unique way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. On this day two elephants are brought together as the world's largest bride and groom. Thailand also has the world's largest mass-wedding and the world's largest underwater wedding.
So no matter what’s your style, make this year’s Valentine special and enjoy Valentine celebrations in your own special way.
