For a lot of us, February is one of the most exciting months of the year. Not only is it just a few calendar days fewer than the rest, it’s also a jam-packed month of different holidays and occasions such as Groundhog Day, President’s Day and (of course we couldn’t forget) Valentine’s Day.
February 14th – we all know this as the day we profess our love to the cute classmate you’ve exchanged small talk with before the homeroom bell, the friendly coworker you usually take your lunch breaks with, or even the stranger you often see on the train during your morning commutes. This is also the perfect day for all the couples out there to celebrate their ongoing relationship.
Regardless of who we’re crushing on, we all love Valentine’s Day for the sweetest traditions of the year including sending Valentine’s Day flowers. And best of all, it’s a holiday celebrated across the globe! Different countries love Valentine’s Day just as much as we do, and not all of them rave about boxes of chocolate and dinner dates. Here are some of our favorite Valentine’s Day traditions from different parts of the world.
South Korea
Koreans love Valentine’s Day so much that they don’t just have one but three separate holidays dedicated to couples and even singles out there!
February 14th in South Korea upholds some of the same traditions in the U.S. with the boxes of chocolate and cute dinner dates, except the gift-giving for this day is done by all the lovestruck women in the country! Women treat their partners out to dates and show some extra love with DIY boxes of chocolate and other handmade goodies. March 14th, or White Day, gives men the chance to return the favor by showering their significant others with sweet treats, flowers, and matching apparel or accessories.
And of course, there’s also a holiday for those who happen to be single for the season. April 14th is South Korea’s variation of Single Awareness Day called Black Day, and it’s dedicated to the singles who didn’t receive gifts during the previous two love holidays. People typically celebrate by gathering other single loved ones and collectively eating black-colored food, specifically black bean noodles. Who needs a love interest when you have the company of your closest friends anyway?
Finland & Estonia
In these two countries, Valentine’s Day is actually a day celebrating friendship on top of romance. The Finnish and Estonians gift their closest friends and lovers cards, send roses for Valentine’s Day, give them chocolates, and even candles. In Estonia, people believe that the holiday should also be spent paying their respect to St. Valentine. Singles in Estonia can still participate in love-filled traditions by taking a ride on the Love Bus; there they can meet new companions or even a potential life partner!
Both countries also love to host different festivities that encourage spreading a bit of love – platonic or not! Schools in Estonia participate in card-making competitions to potentially gift their friend or partner, while adults in Finland like to commend friendships and romantic relationships over drinks at local pubs and bars. Regardless of how these two countries celebrate, the message of togetherness is the main theme of this love-filled holiday, and we’re all for it!
France
There’s no denying that France is the country we think of when it comes to love and romance, and it turns out that a lot of romantic traditions are rooted in French history! The French have been exchanging love letters and other gifts on Valentine’s Day since the Middle Ages. Around this era, French poets and authors emphasized romance and gifting on February 14th which started the ongoing custom that would spread worldwide.
Even now, you’ll see people in France exchanging flowers, gifts, and cards. The practices are similar to those in the U.S. However, be warned, future travelers. The French take Valentine’s Day and romance quite seriously, so be careful with gifting a friend a card or a bouquet of flowers – they might get the wrong idea!
Philippines
Love is definitely in the air for Filipino couples! On February 14th in the Philippines, you’ll be seeing mass weddings almost everywhere you go and hundreds or thousands of newlyweds roaming the streets. These mass weddings usually allow engaged couples to live out their marriage dreams free-of-charge – including the flowers, wedding cake, venue, banquet, and even the rings.
These weddings help spread the love by giving struggling couples a chance to have a traditional ceremony. Marriage, no matter how extravagant the wedding may be, is the ultimate way of professing your everlasting love for your life partner, and Filipinos are all about the idea that people should be able to wed regardless of social status. How great is that?
To Top It Off: Flowers!
No matter where you are in the world, there’s no question that flowers play a huge role in getting your feelings across during Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re gifting a lover or a friend, your recipient is sure to feel the love with the freshest blooms of classic red roses or other arrangements. You can even think outside the pot and schedule one of our Valentine’s Day plants for delivery.
Let The Bouqs be a part of your special day and order a Valentine’s Day bouquet for a loved one today!
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