The youthful romance of Valentine's Day has captured hearts all over the
world. Here we are presenting you the ways people celebrate Valentine's
Day in Japan in Asia, Britain in Europe and Australia.
Valentines Day In Japan
Valentines Day celebrations in Japan are a different affair. Here
ladies buy chocolate for men. One type of chocolate which is called by
the name, kiri-choco is bought for friends and close relatives. It has
no romantic significance at all but the chocolate with the name of
hon-mei which is specifically bought for a boy friend, beloved or
husband and is a gift stimulated by romance. Then after one month later
it is the turn of the men to give in return. It is March 14th (the White
Day), when men present gifts of chocolate to all the ladies who
remembered them on Valentines Day. The color of the chocolate is
generally white because of the name of the day.
Valentines Day Traditions In Britain
Of the various customs popular in England, penning of verses of love
affairs and matters of heart is the most fascinating way to honor the
Saint patron of love, the immortal St. Valentine. In various parts of
the United Kingdom, celebrations take place according to the customs and
traditions and as the day approaches, all magazines and tabloids are
readying for the day and they publish sonnets and verses to commemorate
St Valentine's Day.
Valentines Day traditions In Australia
The gold miners in Australia who were blushing with new found wealth
from the Ballarat mines were willing to pay a princely sum for making
elaborate valentines. The merchants in Australia would generally send
orders of a thousand pounds at a time to make the Valentines Day
grander. The most profligate of valentines were made of a satin cushion
and ornately designed with flowers, colored shells, ribbons etc. All
this work was kept in a neatly adorned box.
In some countries like Austria and Germany there has long been a
tradition for men to buy their sweethearts flowers on Valentine's Day.
An interesting facet of this tradition is that men have to pay attention
to the type of flowers their sweet hearts like- both in terms of color
and fragrance. In Germany it has become a kind of must for the lovers,
husbands or people who are courting, to give gifts and flowers to their
loved ones on Valentines Day.
It adds romance and excitement to the occasion. Here various gifts in
the shape of love symbols would be given with romantic love messages
written all over. On the occasion of the Valentines Day the husbands
give presents of chocolates and roses to their wives. Even the
certificates of baptism and marriage were thought to be given as
Valentines Day gifts but these were more likely to be decorative and
pictorial. These would be accompanied by love messages and romantic
verses.
