Many people like to say that Valentines Day is just another sappy old holiday in which the businesses selling flowers, chocolate, and candy boom. While that may be true to a certain extent, I’m sure that the outcome of all the fuss is an abundance of happy couples all over the world.

Each country has their own way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. Here in America, there is the widely known concept of date night. Of course there is the showering of chocolates and flowers, and once in a while, someone decides to do something exotic for their significant other that surpasses the general boundary of the idea of Valentines.

 

I remember, ever since I was in middle school, my schools had flower and candy sales for Valentines. By high school, it became obvious that if you were in a relationship, you were bound to receive roses and an embarrassing serenading by member of the schools choir in the middle of class. In my close-knit group of friends, we always decided to surprise each other by little things. Honestly, we turned the holiday into a joke by senior year.

Valentine’s Day actually originated in France, where it was customary to send and receive love letters in the second week of February, because that is when the birds begin to mate.

One of my favorite Valentine’s customs is in Japan. The girls and women make chocolates for every important male in their life, from their father, to brothers, to a significant other. Their are different types of chocolates, each symbolizing the kind of feelings you have to offer the opposite person. In March, they have “White Day”, in which the boys and men who received chocolates for Valentine’s Day return the gift to the women.

England is known for the love of Shakespeare, so it is not found unrealistic or particularly surprising that the British decide to convey their love and feelings through the use of sonnets and other script writing.

In Canada and South Africa, there is never a time not to celebrate, and Valentine’s Day is just as good a day as any other. They have balls and in some areas, week long parties. In South Africa, these celebrations are called Lupercalia. This event requires young girls to pin the names of their lover on their sleeve.

The most outrageous tradition of all comes now. In Scotland, it is said that the first person you see on the street is your Valentine. How weird would it be to spend Valentine’s Day with a complete stranger?

Well, that said, I hope everyone has an amazing Valentine’s Day!