Valentine’s Day traditions from around the world

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many countries across the globe. Whilst in the UK we tend to buy cards, flowers, and chocolates for our Valentine, other cultures have their own unique Valentine’s Day traditions to show love and appreciation.

From friendship celebrations to flower codes and romantic festivals, here are some of the most unusual Valentine’s Day traditions from around the world.

Valentine’s Day traditions in Finland: A celebration of friendship

My favourite must be Finland. The Finns are wonderfully inclusive, and since the 1980s, February 14th has been known as Ystävänpäivä, or Day of the Friends.

It’s a day dedicated to celebrating friendships with a card and a small gift.

Sweethearts can be included, but the focus is on recognising friends, family, work colleagues, and neighbours. With over 60% of the population living alone, this is a lovely way to send a little love.

Valentine’s Day traditions in Argentina: Sweetness Week

In Argentina, home of the sensual tango, they don’t reserve love for just one day, they celebrate for an entire week.

Sweetness Week begins on 1st July. During the following seven days, kisses are exchanged for sweet treats.

Unsurprisingly, this week-long tradition was the clever creation of the confectionery company Arcor. The Argentine food company launched a “Candy for a Kiss” advertising campaign in 1989, and it was wholeheartedly embraced by the passionate population.

During Sweetness Week, candy sales increase by around 20%.

Valentine’s Day traditions in Taiwan: The language of roses

Taiwanese suitors take flowers very seriously. While giving roses is common worldwide, in Taiwan the number of roses carries a special meaning.

One red rose signifies one love
Ninety-nine roses mean forever love
One hundred and eight roses is a marriage proposal

Taiwan is also not content with celebrating love just once a year. They have two romantic occasions: 14th February and 7th July.

Valentine’s Day traditions in Japan: White Day and returning the gift

In Japan, Valentine’s Day comes with a reciprocal follow-up called White Day.

This tradition began in the 1970s. On 14th February, women give chocolates, sometimes Honmei choco (“true feeling chocolate”), to their Valentine.

One month later, on 14th March, men reciprocate with white chocolates or other gifts.

Yes, you’ve guessed it: White Day was the idea of the National Confectionery Industry Association, created as a way for men to “pay back” the gifts they received.

Sometimes the White Day gift can even be tripled, sanbai gaeshi, meaning “triple the return”! The man gives a present worth three times the value of what he received.

Valentine’s Day traditions in China: The Qixi Festival

China has its own festival for lovers called the Qixi Festival.

It takes place in August, on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunisolar calendar, and has been celebrated since the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD).

The festival honours the beautiful mythological love story of the cowherd and the weaver girl.

The legend behind Qixi

The story goes like this:

There was once a poor but kind young cowherd named Niulang. He helped an old, sick ox who had been demoted from the god of cattle due to poor behaviour.

The grateful ox wanted to repay Niulang by helping him meet Zhinü, a weaver girl he admired from afar.

Zhinü was actually a fairy, the seventh daughter of the Goddess of Heaven and the Jade Emperor. Finding life in heaven dull, she escaped to earth, and when she met Niulang, they fell in love.

Unbeknownst to the Goddess of Heaven, they married and lived happily together with their two children.

But their secret did not remain hidden for long.

When the Goddess discovered her daughter had married a mortal, she was furious. She sent soldiers to bring Zhinü back to heaven.

Heartbroken, Niulang was desperate to reunite with his wife. The ox, seeing the family’s distress, told Niulang to kill him and use his skin as a disguise to gain entry into heaven.

Reluctantly, Niulang agreed. With his children, he travelled to heaven to find his true love.

When Niulang finally reached Zhinü, the Goddess created a deep river between them, the Milky Way, separating them forever.

The magpies took pity on the lovers and formed a bridge so they could meet.

Seeing their devotion, the Goddess softened and allowed the couple to reunite once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

Modern Qixi celebrations

Today, the Qixi Festival is celebrated much like Valentine’s Day in the West, with couples going out for dinner and exchanging gifts.

Traditionally, young girls would pray to be blessed with sewing skills like Zhinü, prepare fruit offerings, and children would hang flowers on oxen’s horns to honour the old ox.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day traditions worldwide

Whatever Valentine’s Day traditions you follow, whether you are single or have a partner, have a wonderful Valentine’s Day and spread a little love and happiness around the world.

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