From Argentina to China! Celebrate Valentine's Day in different countries' style.
Authors / photo source: PublicDomainPictures/Pixabay and Werner Moser/Pixabay.
Summary:
- South Korea on Valentine's Day: chocolate for couples, noodles for singles.
- Wales: carved spoons of love on the feast of St Dwynwen.
- Argentina: the gift of chocolate is a kiss.
- Denmark: anonymous poems as a Valentine's Day gift.
- China: carved melons, sweets and romantic tales of Qixi.
Many countries in Europe and North America celebrate Valentine's Day every year on 14 February: images of hearts are everywhere, flower shops are full of red roses and confectionery shops — of chocolates. You could say that "love is in the air". However, not every country in Asia and South America turns to hearts on Valentine's Day, and the holiday itself comes in the summer, lasts a whole week and is even celebrated three times a year!
South Korea on Valentine's Day: chocolate for couples, noodles for singles.
Authors / photo source: Jill Wellington/Pixabay.
For South Koreans, Valentine's Day has three parts: 14 February, 14 March and 14 April. On 14 February, women traditionally give chocolates to men, expressing their affection. A month later, on the holiday known as White Day, men give women a sweet white coloured gift as a token of appreciation. On 14 April, Black Day is celebrated. Single people who did not receive gifts on 14 February and 14 March often gather on Black Day to eat zhajiangmen noodles with black bean sauce.
Wales: carved spoons of love on the feast of St Dwynwen.
Authors / photo source: ©Amgueddfa Cymru/Museum Wales.
Unlike many European countries, Wales does not celebrate St Valentine's. It has its own love holiday, St Dwynwen's Day, and it is celebrated on 25 January. The traditional romantic gift on this day is a spoonful of love. Since the 17th century, Welsh people have carved beautiful wooden spoons as a token of their love for a special person in their lives. Each pattern has a different meaning. For example, horseshoes signify good luck, keys represent the key to a man's heart, and wheels are a sign of support.
Argentina: the gift of chocolate is a kiss.
Authors / photo source: Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash.
Argentina celebrates Valentine's Day in February, but the real celebration of love comes in July. Argentines celebrate it for a whole week and call it Sweets Week. If you kiss someone, you must be given a sweet treat. Sweets Week began in 1989 with an advertising campaign for Arcor confectionery. The idea behind the 'Candy for a Kiss' advert was to give Aror chocolates in exchange for a sweet kiss on the cheek. The campaign had a bigger effect than its creators expected, and so a new holiday was born in Argentina!
Denmark: anonymous poems as a Valentine's Day gift.
Authors / photo source: Mockaroon/Unsplash.
Instead of roses, friends and lovers in Denmark exchange pressed white flowers called "snowdrops". On 14 February, men also give women a gaekkebrev, a "joke letter" consisting of a funny poem or rhyme written on elaborately cut paper and signed only anonymously. If the woman receiving the gaekkebrev correctly guesses the sender, she earns herself an Easter egg as a gift.
China: carved melons, sweets and romantic tales of Qixi.
Authors / photo source: Thánh Kiệt Lý/Pixabay.
Qixi Jie, or Chinese Valentine's Day, refers to a traditional holiday that is celebrated strictly according to the lunar calendar and falls on the 7th day of the 7th month every year. In 2024, it falls on the 10th of August.
There is a beautiful legend associated with Valentine's Day in China. The weaver Zhinyui, who lives in heaven, saw the shepherd Nyulan and fell in love with him. In a flurry of feelings, she descended from heaven and married him. They lived happily and had children. But soon the heavenly ruler, Jinyu's mother, found out about the marriage. She was furious that the girl had married a mere mortal and ordered the weaver to be returned to heaven. Nyulan in despair rushed in pursuit of his beloved wife and, taking the children, flew to heaven. But when he almost caught up with Zhinui, the heavenly ruler drew a silver river between them with her golden hairpin, which later became known as the Milky Way. The lovers remained on opposite sides of the river. All they could do was look at each other and weep with longing. Their cries were heard by the birds. Thousands of forty flew in from different parts of the world to form a crossing over the bridge where Nyulan and Jinyui could meet. The heavenly ruler also took pity on the lovers and gave them permission to meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month on this very bridge of forty. This is how the Qixi lovers' holiday came into being. In astronomy, the shepherd and the weaver are unofficial symbols of the stars Altair and Vega, which are separated by the Milky Way.
Therefore, during Qixi, young women prepare melon offerings to the weaver in the hope of receiving patronage and finding a good husband. Special festive sweets are also prepared and given as gifts: qiǎoguǒ (crispy biscuits made of butter, flour and sugar or honey), sūtáng (kindling) and qiǎoqiǎofàn (rice).
Intui offers another Valentine's Day gift idea — a trip. You can give it as a gift for a holiday, and go anytime. A holiday transfer can be booked just for you and your company. You will be met by a driver with a nameplate at the airport, taken to the car, seated with only your company and only your luggage, and quietly driven to the desired place. Go for vivid impressions with your beloved ones, and Intui will take care of your comfort during the trip!
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Petrichenko Rimma & Intui travel
