Valentine's Day Around the Globe: How Other Cultures Celebrate

Ever wonder how Valentine's Day is celebrated by other cultures? Does everyone give gifts? Is it celebrated mainly by couples, or does it include the entire family? What about special, unique traditions? Well, below is a mini guide to Valentine's Day around the world. The information comes from a website designed solely to celebrate this holiday called My Dear Valentine. You can visit it at www.mydearvalentine.com. It'll help you see how different cultures celebrate this day in their own unique way and how love is the glue that binds every race together.

Japan. In this country, only women give gifts on Valentine's Day. It is normally in the form of chocolate. Cards and other lavish items are excluded from the holiday. Women give chocolates to their family and friends. They also give what's called "giri-choko" which are obligatory chocolates. Giri-choko is given to male bosses as a way to show respect, not romantic intentions. However, Japanese women don't totally lose out. They get a pay back a month later on March 14th. It's White Day and the time that men return the favor.

England. In the UK, couples and non-couples gather together in the name of love and celebrate by giving cards, candy and flowers. However, they do have a unique tradition involving children. Children sing sweet songs in order to get gifts in the form of candy and fruit. Also, single women believe that the first man they see on Valentine's Day morning will be their future husband. It is a great way to keep certain men from walking by a specific house on Valentine's Day and another way of getting certain men to camp out all night.

South Africa. In this country, young couples celebrate this day with friends by going out to dinner. Also, tourist attractions like wild life parks, sanctuaries, Cape Town and Soweto are 'hot' hang outs.
Some people also honor a Roman festival called "Lupercalia". In this festival, young women and men pin their names on their lover's sleeves. It's a way to acknowledge their attraction openly and express deep feelings.