Valentine's Day: traditions of different countries of the world

February is already in the yard, and very soon lovers from different parts of the world will give gifts to their chosen ones, confess their love and help the florists fulfill or even exceed the plan.

The stores are already full of hearts of different sizes, colors and materials, postcards with confessions and plush hares and bears. However, not all countries prefer to celebrate lovers' day with chocolate, flowers and postcards. In different parts of the world, the traditions of the celebration of the St. Valentines are different, and on some days lovers are celebrated on the very next day. For example, in Wales on January 25 it is customary to give your loved ones very beautiful wooden spoons, and in the Philippines on February 14, mass wedding ceremonies are held.

Germany

In this country, Valentine's Day is a holiday exclusively for adults, so kids do not give cute homemade cards to their friends and the most beautiful girls in the class. In stores, there are also enough postcards, small souvenirs in the form of heart, and plush toys. However, what distinguishes Germany is the huge number of piglets - chocolate, paper, plush, gingerbread. If the pig is associated only with money all over the world, in Germany the round pig is a symbol of luck and passion, that's why they are the most popular gift that German couples give to each other. In addition, it is often more popular than chocolate here ginger cookies in the form of pigs with confessions of love, written glaze.

South Korea

Usually significant gifts on Valentine's Day are expected from a strong half, but in South Korea it's the opposite. There, the first gifts to their chosen ones and the companions of life are given by women. A month later, the Korean White Day begins, when the men reciprocate with them. But that's not all. For those who are not yet lucky to find their soul mate, two months after Valentine's Day, that is April 14, the Black Day comes, when lonely people gather in different establishments and order themselves black noodles for dinner.

Japan

In the Land of the Rising Sun, chocolate is also given to women, but this tradition has several nuances that are important to remember. At work or at school, colleagues and friends expect a gift of "obligatory" chocolate, or giri choco. More expensive, complex and often made by hand, chocolate, or honmei choco, indicating "real feeling", women give their loved ones. In addition, if they do not have enough patience to wait for reciprocity on the White Day, Japanese women can treat themselves to jibun choco, which means "the hour of chocolate for oneself."

Italy

In Italy, Valentine's Day is positioned as a holiday exclusively for lovers, unlike many other countries, where friends, colleagues, and relatives fall into the target audience. On this day in Italy, chocolate brand Baci Perugina is especially popular. Each small chocolate from a box is wrapped in a wrapper with a romantic message for a loved one or a loved one. In translation from Italian baci means "kisses". Thus, the Italian lovers exchange chocolate kisses with each other.

Denmark

Instead of red roses on Valentine's Day, the Danes give their beautiful halves snowdrops. Often lovers write to their passions "comic letters", attaching to them a dried snowdrop and signing with dots. If the passion decides who the message came from, the sender must give her the Easter egg before Easter.

France

Not surprisingly, France often becomes a destination for romantics on Valentine's Day, because Paris is called the capital of love. Earlier, lovers gathered on the Bridge of Arts, connecting the two banks of the Seine, to hang a castle on it with their names, and throw the key into the river. This served as a sign of eternal love. However, in 2015, due to excessive weight, the locks were removed and the railings replaced. Now hang on them the castle is not so convenient, but romantics find other bridges.

Ironically, Paris is not the only place in France, where lovers come to Valentine's Day from all over the world. On the 14th of February, an annual festival takes place in the small village of San Valenten, named after the patron saint of lovers. Tourists and locals play weddings, both first and anniversary, and plant trees that symbolize their love.

Mexico

In this Central American country, Valentine's Day is known as the Day of Love and Friendship. It is a holiday for all, regardless of marital status and relationship status. Give gifts, the most popular of which are sweets, cards and balloons, you can not only romantic partners, but also your favorite friends.

China

Today, Valentine's Day with its traditions is gaining popularity in China, and yet the traditional Cisi Festival is usually considered a Chinese holiday of lovers. The name of the festival is literally translated as the Night of the Seven, and also it is called a "fortune". Traditionally, this night, Chinese girls wanted a wish to marry successfully. Today, the traditions of Cisizze are more reminiscent of the celebration of the Western Valentine's Day, only it usually takes place in August.

Finland and Estonia

In Finland, one can not feel lonely on Valentine's Day, because this day is devoted to friendship as much as to romantic love. It is called - Day of Friends. This, of course, does not mean that lovers go to the background.

In Estonia, on February 14, popular "buses of love", a ride which invited all the lonely people who are trying to find their soul mate.

Slovenia

In Slovenia, St. Valentine is considered the patron of spring. With the advent of his day, the fields began to prepare for the sowing season, so there was not much time left for love. However, this does not mean that there is no Valentine's Day in Slovenia: St. Valentine's mantle was accepted by St. Gregory, whose day falls on March 12th.

Peru

The day of lovers is celebrated relatively unremarkably in Peru, the only significant difference is that instead of roses Peruvians give their chosen and chosen women orchids, which grow in large numbers in a humid climate.

Czech Republic

St. Valentine's Day is celebrated the same way as in the rest of Europe: gifts, congratulations, bouquets and visits. However, the main Czech Love Day is the first of May, when lovers are usually kissed under the branches of cherry blossoms, which symbolizes happiness, prosperity and health.

Israel

Valentine's Day does not have a special festive spirit in Israel. For residents of this country, the holiday of lovers is Tu-Be Av, which falls into the middle of the summer. It is a holiday of love and rebirth, and the Jews believe that the marriage concluded on this day will be long and happy.

Brazil

The Brazilian patron of marriage and pandering is not Saint Valentine, and Saint Anthony, whose day - June 12 - replaced the Brazilian couples' day of lovers. On the night of 11 to 12 June, single women write down the names of men on paper and put them under a pillow. They take out one piece of paper right after they wake up in the morning. The selected name indicates the groom.