Valentine’s Day is obviously a major holiday here in the United States, but what about the rest of the world? There are around thirty countries that celebrate the holiday in some form, most commonly in Europe and Latin America. Additionally, the holiday is growing in popularity in many countries where it isn’t traditionally celebrated. While there are many similarities, each country has its own unique way of recognizing the day.
In the United States, the most common traditions are sending cards, giving gifts (particularly chocolate and flowers), and going out to dinner. Those traditions are common in almost all Valentine’s-celebrating nations, but there are many others not practiced here.
One common theme elsewhere is a heavy emphasis on friendship, in addition to romance. In Latin America, February 14 is most commonly called Día del Amor y La Amistad (Day of Love and Friendship). In Finland and Estonia, they celebrate Ystävänpäivä and Sõbrapäev, respectively, which both translate to Friend’s Day. People will go out for coffee or dinner with their closest friends and do fun activities like sledding. Couples will often still exchange gifts or go out to dinner, but the point is to celebrate all forms of love.
In the Philippines, massive wedding ceremonies for over one hundred couples are held across the country, with some over one thousand. In Denmark, people send gaekkebrev (joke letters), which are original rhymes or poems written on paper cut into intricate designs. The joke is that you sign the letter in coded dots, and the recipient has to guess who it is to get a prize. Meanwhile in Ghana, February 14 is not only Valentine’s Day but also National Chocolate Day, where you give chocolate to your lover or friends, and many restaurants have chocolate-themed menus. In Bulgaria, on San Trifon Zartan (day of winemakers), couples celebrate with a glass of local wine. If you spend February 14 in Mexico, you’ll notice an abundance of heart-shaped balloons with sweet messages filling the sky.
Valentine’s Day is a great example of how one holiday can unite many people around the world but, everyone can still put their own culture into the day.
