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Valentine's Day and the international language of love

14 January 2009

Wherever Valentine's Day is celebrated - and whether or not people in different countries actually exchange Valentines Day Gifts - it's an important day for so many people; no matter what their age. February 14th is a day of love where couples spend time together, exchange beautiful and well thought out Valentines Day Gifts, and - for those who are as yet unattached - make the first moves towards what will hopefully develop into something fun, and maybe even meaningful - hopefully with the help of a few great Valentines Day Gifts.

Perhaps illustrating the importance of love and of Valentine's Day around the world, it's interesting that there exists so many different lists showing how to say "I love you" in the different languages spoken all over the globe. For example, one such list reminds us that "I love you" in Polish is "Kocham cie", while in Japanese, the correct phrase is apparently "Aishite imasu". And, of course, who can fail to know the French way of saying "I love you", "Je t'aime".

So, with love being such a universal human trait, how is Valentine's Day - or celebrations similar to it - celebrated around the world? Are there any special traditions, and do observers still give what we would recognise as Valentines Day Gifts?

In the western world Valentine's Day celebrations are often somewhat similar, and even in instances where differences exist, they aren't necessarily that profound. For example, in both Denmark and Norway - where Valentine's Day is known as Valentinsdag - the day is celebrated to a lesser extent, and there is a reduced emphasis placed upon the giving and receiving of Valentines Day Gifts. In Finland, there are also differences that make February 14th less orientated towards love; known as Ystavanpaiva - which translates as "Friend's Day" - the celebration is orientated towards remembering friends rather than lovers. It is similarly the case in Estonia. Much like Denmark and Norway, these latter countries probably also place a reduced emphasis upon the giving and receiving of romantic Valentines Day Gifts.

However, in France and Spain, the day is celebrated in much the same way as it is in the UK and the US. Known in both of these continental European countries as Saint Valentin and San Valentin respectively, given the similarities the emphasis placed upon the giving and receiving of Valentines Day Gifts is probably just as strong.

Further afield, across large parts of South America, celebrations known as Secret Friend and Love and Friendship Day are generally celebrated on the same day as Valentine's Day. And in Brazil, although Valentine's Day on February 14th is generally not observed, a very similar type of holiday is celebrated on June 12th. Known as either the Day of the Enamoured or Boyfriends'/Girlfriends' Day, celebrations are remarkably similar to those undertaken elsewhere on February 14th; they even involve the giving of items reminiscent of Valentines Day Gifts. In Brazil, 'Valentines Day Gifts' given include flowers, cards and chocolates.

However, across the other side of the globe, beautifully executed marketing programmes have led to a number of Asian countries celebrating Valentine's Day, and consequently spending large sums of money on suitable Valentines Day Gifts. Among the countries that favour celebrating Valentine's Day include South Korea and China.

Elsewhere, in Israel, whether or not Valentine's Day is actually observed, on February 14th, a traditional celebration in honour of love is observed in late August - specifically, it takes place during the month of Av, on the 15th day. Although modern ways of celebrating do now differ from traditional practices, the day remains popular and is a well-liked occasion for making declarations of love, swapping gifts - similar to our Valentine's Day Gifts perhaps - and even making marriage proposals.

However, wherever you are in the world and whether or not you celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14th - complete with the giving and receiving of Valentines Day Gifts - make sure you at least keep the spirit of it close to your heart; when you love and care about someone, make sure you let them know. And, although it's not all about Valentines Day Gifts, we all appreciate a little present every now and again.



Related article: Value your Valentine with gifts that say be mine (Valentines Day Gifts)
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