We all know the Valentine’s Day cliches that couples do every year. They give each other chocolates, flowers, and teddy bears, and spend the day doing something romantic. But what you may not realize is that Valentine’s Day isn’t the same everywhere. While Americans buy into the consumerism that Valentine’s Day is surrounded by, there are special traditions that some countries celebrate for the special season of love.

First, the origin of Valentine’s Day started with Saint Valentine. There are a few different tales of how this saint became a legend and created this holiday of love. One story claims that St. Valentine was a priest in the 3rd century of Rome, and when the emperor Claudius II believed that single soldiers were better than those with wives and families, marriage was outlawed for young soldiers. However, St. Valentine went against his law and secretly married young couples. The emperor found out about this and ordered St. Valentine to pay the price for his crime and be put to death.

Another tale says that the saint helped Christians escape cruel Roman prisons, where people were tortured and killed. He then became so popular that couples all over the world started to celebrate Valentine’s Day as a holiday dedicated to love. 

Now that you know the origin of Valentine’s Day, you can see how it’s celebrated across the world. In Argentina, the holiday is known as “The Week of Sweetness” and is celebrated in July. It’s very similar to our Valentine’s Day, where lovers share kisses, chocolates, and a variety of other sweets.

The French believe that the first Valentine’s Day card was created in France. The Duke of Orleans, Charles, sent love letters to his wife from prison in 1415. The French village is now known as “Valentine” and became the center of romance between February 12 and 14. The whole city is decorated with cards and can be found in yards, trees, and homes. There’s also a plentiful supply of roses and marriage proposals everywhere.

South Korea also celebrates Valentine’s Day. However, they celebrate Valentine’s Day on the 14th of every month. In May they celebrate “The Day of Roses,” in June they celebrate “The Day of Hugs in December,” and in April, people that are single celebrate “The Black Day” and eat black noodles.

Lastly, in the Philippines, the government sponsors events as a type of public service. Many young couples get married at these events every year. It’s a truly special time of year for young couples.

As you can see, Valentine’s Day is different for many people around the world. There are so many beautiful cultures that make our holidays unique to us all.