Different countries celebrate Valentine’s day in different ways and on different days than in the USA.
Just a few examples:
Argentina celebrates Valentine’s with a ‘Week of Sweetness” in July where couples exchange chocolate sweets!
Japan celebrates with women buying gifts of chocolates for their man on February 14th. The man can’t return the gift until after March 14th on a day called “White Day”.
Brazil has Lovers Day or rather “Día dos Namorados”, and in addition to lovers exchanges of chocolates, cards, and flowers, it’s also a big celebration day with huge family dinners.
Depending on where you are in the UK there are several different traditions, such as in Wales, where lovers exchange hand-carved wooden spoons. Norfolk had Jack Valentine delivering gifts to children. In other areas of jolly old England, young women place 5 bay leaves on their pillows to dream of their future husband.
Bulgaria Valentines, or “San Trifon Zartan” is celebrated as a day of wine makers, where couples young and old celebrate each other with a glass of wine.
France is where many believe the whole card exchange tradition started when Charles, the Duke of Orleans, sent love letters to his wife from his prison cell. And in the village of Valentine, France, many believe it to be the epicenter of Valentine’s Day where the town is beautifully decorated with cards and flowers and many couples mark the day with marriage proposals.
If you’re not feeling the love yet, you make something happen. Reach out to loved ones with a phone call, flowers, or a card! Something to let folks know they are thought about and you cared enough to let them know!