Valentine's Day in Other Countries

Valentine’s Day is Almost Here

The season of love is here, but did you know there’s Valentine’s day in other countries?  At Desert Drinks we strive to bring you the most unusual and regional snacks you could possibly hope for, so why settle for mundane flowers and chocolates?  This month we’re bringing a very special exotic snack box to the table with a new theme your sweetheart is guaranteed to love.  Our Valentine’s Day themed subscription is packed full of sweets, snacks and drinks sure to please the most discerning palates.  Our snack boxes are available for either subscription or single purchase.  Buy yours today!  We promise you won’t be disappointed.


Valentine’s Day Around the World

Chocolates, heart shaped sweets, and festive pink pastries.  What could be better?  Desert Drinks is dedicated to bringing the world to your front door by tracking down the most unusual snacks we can find.  During our quest to find the perfect Valentine’s treats for our themed snack box, we discovered some amazing facts!  While it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that the holiday is celebrated in European countries such as Spain and France, did you know you can find Valentine’s Day in other countries like the Philippines?


Japan:  One day of romance wasn’t enough for Japan.  They’ve broken this holiday into two distinct days and created a unique set of customs to accompany them.  February 14th is set aside for women who wish to hand out chocolates to their male counterparts while men typically return the favor on White Day, celebrated a month later on March 14th.  The distinction doesn’t end there however.  To ensure no one feels left out, participants hand out different categories of chocolate.  The first type is “giri-choco”.  Giri is a word describing social obligation, as such, these chocolates are handed out to friends, family, and coworkers as a sign of appreciation.  The second type is homemade chocolate or “honmei-choco”.  This type of chocolate carries more significance regardless of quality, and is given to one's romantic partner.

Korea:  Known as the 12 days of love, Koreans celebrate a sentimental holiday on the 14th of every month!  January 14th is Diary day, in which participants give a blank diary to a loved one.  February is of course Valentine’s Day, followed by White Day in March; both holidays are celebrated in a similar fashion to their neighbors in Japan.  The holiday in April is Black Day, in which lonely singles mourn their solitude by eating jajangmyeon with their single friends.  

The other love days of the year are as follows:

May 14th:  Yellow Day in which people exchange yellow roses with loved ones
June 14th:  The self explanatory Kiss Day lands on this month!
July 14th:  Silver Day where couples exchange promise rings.
August 14th:  Green Day, a day designated for picnics, soju, and enjoying nature with loved ones.
September 14th:  Photo Day, where couples gather to take memorable selfies
October 14th:  Wine Day, where couples gather at bars and public events to drink!
November 14th:  Movie Day, the perfect day to organize a movie date.
December 14th:  Hug Day, a day for, you guessed it, hugs!

The Philippines:
Valentine’s Day in the Philippines, or Araw ng mga Puso which means Day of Hearts, is celebrated in a similar fashion to the West.  In recent years, it has become popular for couples to participate in mass group weddings.  Hosted by local governments as a form of public services, people gather to take or renew their vows.  In 2019, more than 600 hundred people were married in the city of Pasay alone.

Finland:
Most nations across the globe have some form of holiday that celebrates love, but not every romantic holiday takes place on Valentine’s day, and not every Valentine’s celebration is dedicated to romance!  In Finland, All Heart’s Day, or Alla Hjärtans Dag in Swedish, is celebrated on February 14th, but the celebration isn’t exclusively romantic.  When you come from a culture with a tendency towards stoicism, it can be difficult to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you.  This is why Alla Hjärtans Dag is also referred to as “Friend’s Day.”  The holiday has become an opportunity to show friends and family you care by gifting chocolates and sentimental cards declaring the value of friendship.  In fact, Friend’s Day is the 2nd largest card holiday in Finland, with millions of cards mailed every year.  The postal service even employs additional workers just to keep up with the increased volume of mail.


Happy Valentine’s Day from Desert Drinks!

Now that you’ve learned about Valentine’s Day in other countries, why not start a tradition of your own with Desert Drinks!  Head on over to our subscription box page and purchase one one of our themed snack boxes for that special someone in your life or purchase one for yourself as a Valentine’s treat!  You deserve it.

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