Celebration And Worldwide Status Of Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day customs – giving greeting cards, offering confectionery and giving flowers – developed in the early modern England, then, spread all throughout the world of English-speaking in the nineteenth century. During the late 20th century and the early 21st centuries, the customs spread to some other countries.
Valentine’s Day is commemorated in numerous countries with the many countries spending their most money for Valentine’s gifts.
Afghanistan
Valentine’s Day had been first celebrated by Shafik Rehman when he got aware with the Western culture after studying in London in 1993. He was called the father of V’s Day. Now people in different bonds express their love with chocolates, cards, flowers, and some other gifts.
Bangladesh
Valentine’s Day had been first celebrated by Shafik Rehman when he got aware with the Western culture after studying in London in 1993. He was called the father of V’s Day. Now people in different bonds express their love with chocolates, cards, flowers, and some other gifts.
Brazil
Boyfriends’/Girlfriends’ Day / Lovers’ Day or Dia dos Namorados is rejoiced on June 12, maybe because this is the day just before St. Anthony’s day, identified as a ‘marriage saint’, and Valentine’s Day February 14 is not observed at all since it normally falls too little over or too little before the Brazilian Carnival – that may fall anywhere from the early of February to the early in March and lasted almost a week.
China
Valentine’s Day here is called the lovers’ festival. “Chinese Valentine’s Day” has been the Qixi Festival, which means that “The Night of 7s”, celebrated on the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar.
Colombia
They are celebrating Día del amor y la amistad every third Saturday of September instead and Amigo Secreto is popular there.
Europe
In Finland, ystävänpäivä is what they call for Valentine’s Day or “Friend’s Day”. As its name indicates, the day is regarding the remembrance of friends and not of significant others. While in Estonia the Valentine’s Day has been originally named as called valentinipäev that later called as sõbrapäev or (‘Friend’s Day’) as the calque of their Finnish term.
France
A traditionally Catholic state, Valentine’s Day has been simply known as “Saint Valentin”. The “Fête des Amoureux” celebrations happened every 2 years on a Sunday near to February 14. Their villagers are clothed in the 19th-century costume then place on a program with around 800 people watching.
Greece
Valentine’s Day in Greek custom was not connected with romantic love. At the Eastern Orthodox holy place or church there is one more Saint who protected the in love people. During the contemporary Greece, the Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated as a common Western custom.
India
In the ancient India, there had been a custom of adoring this lord of love, Kamadeva, exemplified through the writing of Kamasutra. The tradition was lost during the Middle Ages, and Valentine’s Day celebrations didn’t catch in India until 1992. It was widened because of the programs in the different advertisements and in the love letter competitions, to add on to the economic liberalization that permits the explosion of valentine card industry.
In the modern times, Islamic and Hindu traditionalists have considered this holiday as a cultural contaminations from the West, the result of India’s globalization. The protesters themselves are fears that this globalization will destroy their society’s traditions such as arranged marriages, full-time mothers, Hindu joint families, etc., but despite the many obstacles, Valentine’s Day had been increasingly famous in India. In February 2012, couples are warned that “They are not allowed to hug and kiss in public places. Activists have the right to beat them. They are not anti-love, but they criticize vulgar exhibitions of affection in public places.
Iran
Valentine’s Day history here dates back during the Qajar era half of the nineteenth century, when Naser al-Din Shah Qajar didn’t take with him his wife during his journey to Europe and so he sent her his Valentine’s Day greeting card from a distance. This greeting card can be seen in Iranian museums.
During the mid-2000s, the Valentine’s Day had been increasingly famous in Iran, especially for the young people. Since 2011, the authorities have attempted to discourage the celebrations and imposed restrictions over the production and the sale of Valentine’s Day goods, although this holiday stays famous as of 2018.
Ireland
Lots of Christians make the pilgrimage to the Whitefriar St. Carmelite Church at Dublin on the day of Saint Valentine to implore the mediation of Saint Valentines in their prayers and with the hope of finding romance and their true love. Many individuals who are seeking true love make the Christian pilgrimage to St. Valentine Shrine in Whitefriar St. Carmelite Church at Dublin. It has the book where the locals and the foreigners have written their requests and prayers for love.
Israel
The Jewish custom of Tu B’Av was revived and transformed in the Jewish counterpart of Valentine’s Day. It’s celebrated during the 15th day in late August, the month of AV. In the ancient times, the girls will wear white dresses then dances in the vineyards, wherein the boys may wait for them. Now, Tu B’Av is commemorated as the second holiday for love by the secular people, and it shares lots of tradition connected with St. Valentine’s Day in the western societies. In the modern Israeli culture, the Tu B’Av is a famous day to propose marriage, give gifts like flowers and cards and to proclaim love.
Japan
The Morozoff Ltd. commenced the first holiday in 1936, when they ran a promotion aimed for foreigners. In 1953, it started advertising the giving of the heart-shaped chocolates. In 1958, Isetan department store had run their “Valentine sale”. There are further movements during the 1960s trendy custom. In particular, the office ladies are giving chocolates to their co-workers. Many women feel obligated to give chocolates as to every male co-workers, but not on Sunday and holidays.
Women obligatory giving chocolates is called as the giri-choko from “obligation” (giri) while “chocolate” (choko).
Women give chocolates to their not so famous co-workers is referred to as the “ultra-obligatory”, taking the cheap chocolates or (chō-giri choko).
Women giving chocolates to special ones are the “true feeling chocolates” or (honmei-choko).
Girl Friends may exchange chocolate referred to “friends” or (tomo-choko).
In 1980, the National Confectionery Industry Assoc. in Japan launched a winning campaign to make a “reply day” in March 14, wherein men are anticipated to go back the favor to those that are giving them chocolates during Valentine’s Day and called it White Day since white chocolates are being offered.
The romantic “date evening” linked to Valentine’s Day has been celebrated on the Eve of Christmas.
Latin America
In most of the Latin American states, Saint Valentine’s Day had been known as:
‘Day of Lovers’ or the Día de los Enamorados
‘Day of Love & Friendship’ or Día del Amor y la Amistad.
‘Affection Day’ or Día del Cariño
‘Secret friend’ or Amigo secreto
It is also very common to see many people perform the “acts of appreciations” for their friends.
Lebanon
Saint Valentine had been the patron saint of the Lebanese populace. The couples take this chance of Valentine’s Day of feast to exchange gifts and sweet words as proof of love. Gifts include boxes of cupcakes, chocolates, and red roses that are being considered the symbol of passion and sacrifice.
The Lebanese people are celebrating differently their Valentine’s Day in every city. Beirut men are taking their women to dine out and may buy a gift for them. Lots of women are being asked for marriage on this day. In Sidon, the day of Valentine is being celebrated with the entire family – Valentine’s Days is more about the family love than about being a couple’s love.
Malaysia
The Islamic officials in the Western part of Malaysia warned the Muslims people against the celebration of Valentine’s Day since they believe that this day is associated with the elements of Christianity. Jakim officials planned on carrying out the nationwide campaign called as “Awas Jerat Valentine’s Day” of known as “Mind this Valentine’s Day Trap”. It aims to prevent the Muslims to celebrate this day since 2011 of February 14. Some of the Malaysian had been charged for defying the ban of the department against the Valentine’s Day celebration.
Pakistan
Valentine’s Day concept was introduced during the late of 1990s with the special radio and TV programs. Although Valentine’s Day celebration was banned, the celebration is still becoming famous among the florists, the card publishers and the urban youth.
In 2016, local government officially banned Valentine’s Day celebration in the city.
In 2017, Islamabad High Court then banned the celebration of Valentine’s Day in public places and there are over 80% of the readers of Dawn polled on the website and agreed with the decision.
In 2018, due to the citizen’s petition, the Media Regulatory Authority also advised the newspapers and broadcasters against the airing of any Valentine’s Day happenings.
Philippines
Araw ng mga Puso is what they called it in Philippines. This is normally marked the steep increase in flowers price specially the red roses. This is the most famous day to get married and there are some localities that are offering mass ceremonies for free.
Poland
Valentine’s Day had been introduced here together with Saint Valentine cult via Tyrol and Bavaria. It increased its fame in the 1990s. The biggest and the only public celebration is annually held in Poland since 2002 in the Chełmno, since Chełmno’s Parish of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary was holding St. Valentine relic since the Middle Age, and the saint’s local cult were combined with the tradition of Anglo-Saxon.
Portugal
The holiday is called as “DIA DOS Namorados” (Day of Enamored / Lover’s Day). As elsewhere, the couples are exchanging gifts, but in most regions, women are given the lenço de namorados or “lovers’ handkerchief” that is normally embroidered with the love motifs.
Romania
In the recent years, Romania was also starting the celebration of Valentine’s Day. It has drawn backlash of some institutions, nationalist organizations and groups that condemned Valentine’s Day for becoming imported, superficial, and commercialist Western kitsch. Just in order to counterpart the apparent denaturation of the national culture, a spring festival, Dragobete celebration is some parts of the Southern Romania have been rekindled after being ignored during their Communist years as a custom Romanian holiday for the lovers.
Saudi Arabia
In 2002 and 2008, the religious police prohibited the selling of items on Valentine’s Day items because they considered the day as a Christian holiday. The ban has made their black market for wrapping paper and roses. In 2012, their religious police have arrested over 140 Muslims after celebrating this holiday, and confiscated every red rose from the flower shops. Non-Muslims in Saudi can celebrate only at closed doors and not being seen and Muslims are prohibited from this holiday.
But, in 2017 after the fatwa was circulated widely, a religious police didn’t prohibit the Muslims from the celebration and in 2018, the Promotion of Virtue & Prevention former president committee said that this Valentine’s Day celebration is not haram which is also compatible with the Islamic values.
Scandinavia
In Norway and Denmark, February 14 is called as Valentinsdag, and has been celebrated in the same manner with the UK. In Sweden, it’s known as “All Hearts’ Day” (Alla hjärtans dag) but it is not widely remembered. The holiday has been observed ever since 1960.
Singapore
Singaporeans are considered as the largest spenders during Valentine’s Day and around 60% of the Singaporeans are indicating that they can spend in between $100-$500 for the season.
South Korea
Women here are giving chocolates to men on 14th of February, and men are giving non-chocolate candies to women on 14th of March (White Day). On 14th of April (Black Day), everyone that did not receive or take anything in March or February must go to Chinese-Korean restaurant and eat black noodles to mourn their ‘single life’.
Korean women are giving much amount of chocolate when compared to Japanese women.
The 14th of each month marked as the love-related day when in Korea, even though the majority of them are doubtful.
January – Candle Day
February – Valentine’s Day
March – White Day
April – Black Day
May – Rose Day
June – Kiss Day
July – Silver Day
August – Green Day
September – Music Day
October – Wine Day
November – Movie Day
December – Hug Day
Spain
Valentine’s Day was introduced through a 1948 ad campaign by their department store chain, the Galerías Preciados which had been widespread in 1970.
Taiwan
The traditional Qixi Festival, the Valentine’s Day and the White Day are celebrated.
United Kingdom
The Valentine’s Day affection notes on display during the year 2010 for creating the charitable donation to a British Heart Foundation.
Around £1.3 billion of the UK are spending money on Valentine’ Day for the yearly chocolates, cards, flowers, and some other gifts, and with an around 25 million cards were sent.
In Wales, there are some people celebrating St. Dwynwen’s Day (Dydd Santes Dwynwen) on January 25 and not on Valentine’s Day. This day commemorated St. Dwynwen, patron saint of affection/love of the Welsh. The Welsh called St. Valentine is Sant Ffolant.
United States
Candies with messages and conversation hearts are strongly linked with Valentine’s Day. On US Mainland, around 190 million cards for Valentine’s Day are being sent every year.
Valentine’s school dance celebration of African American in 1956 in Richmond, Virginia.
Valentine’s Day is the major source of the economic activity and a survey found that of the previous decade, those people’s percentage of celebrating Valentine’s Day have declined steadily. The three primary causes are over-commercialization of Valentine’s Day, not interested in the celebration and not having a special someone.
