On Valentine's Day, stores are filled with red balloons and lovers celebrate the holiday. However, Valentine's Day celebrations around the world vary, reflecting local ideas about love. Learn more about how Valentine's Day is celebrated around the world and the history of the holiday

Valentine's Day is a holiday of love, kisses, bouquets of flowers, chocolates and cards. Every year this day is celebrated on February 14. Valentine's Day has an interesting history and is popular in many countries of the world. On this day, we will tell you about Valentine's Day traditions from different parts of the planet.

History of Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is celebrated all over the world in the name of St. Valentine, who served as a priest in Rome in the 3rd century. The empire was then ruled by Claudius II, who decided that unmarried men made better soldiers than those who had a family and a wife and forbade young soldiers from marrying.

Valentina was greatly outraged by such injustice and he began secretly marrying young lovers. For this, the emperor executed the priest, it happened exactly on February 14.

After many years, the story of Valentine became very popular and couples all over the world began to celebrate Valentine's Day as a day of love.

How is Valentine's Day celebrated in different countries of the world?

- Germany

In Germany, Valentine's Day is known as "Valentinstag". Most often, people exchange gifts on this day - flowers, chocolates and small tokens of affection. However, recently there has been a fashion for individual handmade gifts.

A unique tradition in Germany during Valentine's Day is the exchange of heart-shaped gingerbread cookies known as “Lebkuchenherzen”, which are usually decorated with romantic messages.

- Italy

Verona (the city of Romeo and Juliet) hosts the Verona in Love festival every year on Valentine's Day, which includes concerts, shows and events for couples. Also in Italy, in honor of the celebration of St. Valentine's Day, romantic meals are arranged, which usually consist of special dishes, such as heart-shaped pasta or sweet desserts.

- Turkey

An interesting tradition of celebrating Valentine's Day was started in Turkey. Couples attach love locks to bridges or other public places as a symbol of their love.

- Japan

In Japan, Valentine's Day is traditionally celebrated as a day when women express their love and gratitude to their male lovers or friends by giving chocolates. The guys reciprocate a month later, on March 14, on the holiday known as "White Day". It is customary to give girls white chocolate, flowers or other small gifts.

- South African Republic

In South Africa, Valentine's Day is a popular holiday celebrated not only by couples but also by friends and family members. Usually people give each other teddy bears and flowers. However, there is also an interesting tradition - on Valentine's Day in South Africa, women wear brightly colored dresses.

- France

Valentine's Day is known in France as "La Saint-Valentin". In addition to the traditional exchange of small gifts or flowers, couples in some regions may also give each other "minjardis", which are small treats such as chocolates.

It is believed that the first ever Valentine's Day card appeared in France, when in 1415 Charles, Duke of Orleans, sent his wife a love letter from prison.

Do not forget that Paris is the most popular city visited by tourists on Valentine's Day. Therefore, France can be considered the real capital of love.

- Thailand

Valentine's Day in Thailand is celebrated as "Wan Rak" day, which means "Love Day" in Thai. Couples give each other flowers and chocolate, and release birds or fish as a symbol of love. In addition, many Thai couples celebrate their wedding or propose on this day.

- South Korea

Couples in South Korea celebrate Valentine's Day on the 14th of every month: "Rose Day" is celebrated in May, "Kiss Day" is in June, "Hug Day" is in December, and single people celebrate by eating black noodles "Black Day" in April.

- Ghana

In Ghana, February 14th is celebrated as "National Chocolate Day", because the country is one of the largest cocoa-producing countries in the world. On this day, all over the country you can visit performances, musical events and restaurants that serve a themed menu on the occasion of a special holiday.

- Bulgaria

On February 14, Saint Trifon Zartan is celebrated in Bulgaria, which means "day of winemakers". That is why it is customary to raise a glass of wine on this day in the country.

- Denmark

In Denmark, Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14 and is not limited to roses and chocolates. Friends and lovers exchange handmade cards with pressed white flowers called snowdrops.

- Slovenia

In Slovenia, Saint Valentine is one of the patrons of spring. It is believed that on February 14, plants begin to regenerate, that is why on this day they start to do in the fields. There is another folk belief, according to which birds "woo" each other precisely from February 14. To witness this event, you have to walk barefoot through the fields, which are often still frozen.

- Romania

Romanians celebrate Valentine's Day in a very romantic and unusual way. This day in the country falls on February 24 and is called the Day of Engagement of Young Couples. It's basically a combination of Valentine's Day and the celebration of spring. Young men and women go to the forest to collect colorful flowers, while other couples wash their faces with snow as a sign of good luck.

- Spain

Love Day in Spanish Valencia falls on October 9. The holiday is known as the day of Saint Dionysus. He is noted for making "macarons", marzipan figurines. Figurines are created by men to give to their loved ones. Bright parades can also be seen on the streets of Spanish villages.

- Brazil

In Brazil, Valentine's Day is known as "Dia dos Namorados", which translates as "Day of Lovers", but it is not celebrated on February 14, but on June 12. The most common way to celebrate is to give gifts such as chocolates, flowers and small tokens of affection called “presentinhos”. There are also regional festivals and parades like the “Festa Junina” with dancing, music and other cultural events.

Discover new countries and cities, get to know new customs and traditions, both on Valentine's Day and on other holidays throughout the year. Travel with your loved ones, because time spent together is the most valuable gift.

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Daria Rogova, Head of Insurance at Visit World

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