Happy Valentines Day Around the World

Valentines Day is one of the most popular holidays in the United States, judging from the huge displays that go up in stores right after New Year's and end in a big sale come February 15.

This day, originally a Catholic holy day, first celebrated the martyrdom of one of three possible people named Valentinus well over 1700 years ago, which was certainly anything but a happy Valentines Day.

Sometime in the 1300s or 1400s, Valentines Day became a symbol of love and romance, evolving into the holiday we recognize today. The fun and happy feelings of Valentines Day have spread throughout the world, and it's interesting to see what Americans do to have a happy Valentines Day and to see what others around the globe do.

North America

In the United States, Valentines Day celebrations were brought over from the British sometime in the 1800s, and in the 1840s, the first mass-made valentines were created in Massachusetts by Esther Howland.

These were the primary way to celebrate Valentines Day in the United States until the second half of the 1900s, when a gift in addition to a valentine became customary for lovers.

Of course, these days, the celebration includes the giving of valentines in schools and candy for everyone from kids to adults. Every American child knows to say "Happy Valentines Day" as a greeting on February 14.

Asia

People in Asia also seek to have a happy Valentines Day, putting their own unique spin with extra holidays that play off the fun of Valentines Day. In Japan and Korea, the burden is on the women to give gifts of chocolate or flowers, sometimes going so far as to purchasing gifts for everyone in their office, on Valentine's Day.

But thanks to marketing, a month later, the men are expected to give gifts to the women that gave them gifts, playing on the politeness of Japanese and Korean societies to create a new holiday, which is called White Day.

And Korea takes this even one step further, with Black Day for everyone who didn't have a happy Valentines Day, receiving no gifts.
On Black Day, which occurs April 14, these people get together and eat noodles as a sort of commiseration for being single.

South of the Border

In Mexico, a happy Valentines Day means a present from an unknown giver, similar to the Christmastime game of having a secret Santa, and rather than wishing people a happy Valentines Day, the proper greeting would translate to wishing a happy Love and Friendship Day.

Colombia celebrates the same holiday, but rather than celebrate it on February 14, the holiday is in September.

Another South American country, Brazil, celebrates their version of Valentines Day on June 12, celebrating with both traditional Valentines Day style celebrations and traditional rituals that single women perform in hopes of finding a husband.

Whether it's to have a happy Valentines Day on the same day we celebrate it or on another day of the year, many countries around the world get in the spirit of celebrating love.