Love is a global feeling. It is shared across continents, experienced through generations and exists in all ethnicities. Loving is part of being human. But that doesn’t mean love is expressed the same way everywhere. Each place has its peculiarities. Different cultural backgrounds carry unique understandings of love and have distinct forms of celebrating it.
We all know what Valentine’s Day is like in America. We’ve all experienced February 14 many times at this point, but celebrations might have changed a bit as we grew up. Maybe we went from doing fun activities with our parents (as toddlers) to exchanging gifts with classmates (as kids) and then going on dates or having dinner with friends (as teenagers and adults). But even with these adaptations to time, the essence of Valentine’s remained the same. We know how it goes, and we know exactly what to expect each year.
But are we familiar with Valentine’s traditions around the world?
Valentine’s festivities are different everywhere. Here is a list of five countries that stand out for their differentiated Valentine’s Day traditions.
Australia
Valentine’s Day celebrations are just as common and strong in Australia as in the US, with February 14 marking a major commercial date in the country. During the Australian Valentine’s season, love is in the air and in the shops as stores are decorated with heart-shaped elements and flowers.
Unlike the U.S., the holiday is mainly centered on romantic love in Australia. Couples often use this date to go to the movies or have a romantic dinner date and celebrate their union. Also, Australian couples don’t run away from their cultural preference for outdoor activities. The Australian lifestyle often values nature pursuits and exposure to outside areas – preference projected onto their Valentine’s customs.
According to Gabriela de Almeida, 47, who has lived in Australia for 20 years, Australian couples enjoy spending Valentine’s at the beach or having romantic picnics at parks. They see Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to reconnect with their loved ones and with nature.
Brazil
On June 12, Brazil celebrates “Dia dos Namorados” (Partners’ Day).
As the name itself suggests, the date is centered on the celebration of romantic love. Ana Clara Ribeiro, 20, who has lived in Brazil her whole life, believes the Brazilian Valentine’s to be mainly restricted to dating life.
“You may see families celebrating it together when there are children, but it’s usually all about the couple,” Ribeiro said.
Brazil has transformed the holiday into a commercial event. Gifts and presents are an essential component of any Valentine’s celebrations in the country. Flowers, chocolates, jewelry, portraits, teddy bears… the list goes on and on.
That doesn’t mean Brazilian Valentine’s festivities don’t include fun activities. “I think the most common way [of celebrating Valentine’s Day] is having dinner in a nice restaurant,” Ribeiro said. But Brazilians also use this date as an opportunity for new experiences. Many couples try going on unusual dates, trips or sports events. They strengthen their love by trying something new together.
Colombia
Colombia celebrates “El Dia del Amor y la Amistad” (The Day of Love and Friendship) on September 20.
As the straightforward name suggests, Colombian Valentine’s Day celebrates all forms of love – both romantic and platonic. Elizabeth Castellano, 50, who lived in Colombia for most of her life, still recalls the joy of waiting for Valentine’s in her country. The festivities value union as families commonly schedule social meetings at one of their houses and invite family and friends over. Together, they celebrate their reciprocal love and cultivate happy memories.
“It is not only focused on love as a couple but also on friendship,” Castellano said.
She could never forget her last Valentine’s celebration in Tulua – her native city in Colombia. The party was energetic and enduring, just like true love. “We had a big celebration in my city in Colombia. In fact, we danced and did karaoke until dawn,” Castellano shared.
Italy
In Italy, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14, just like in the U.S. That doesn’t mean Italians don’t hold their own traditions when it comes to celebrating love. In reality, it was in Italy where it all started! That’s because Valentine’s Day was named after Saint Valentine, the Roman saint of love and devotion.
“La Festa di San Valentino,” or just San Valentino for short, “is usually perceived as more of a romantic holiday, lacking the family/friend festivities that are so common in the US. It is a holiday almost entirely exclusive to romantic partners,” Isabella Bertolucci, 21, said, who lived in Italy for two years.
Red, white and pink decorations with many heart-shaped items are just as common in Italy as in the U.S. Couples exchange chocolates, flowers and pieces of jewelry. They may also celebrate by having dinner somewhere special.
But that’s not all! Of course, a well-known romantic country like Italy would have an exclusive V-Day tradition. It is common for Italians to visit Terni, the city of Saint Valentine, and watch the special celebrations hosted on the holiday.
Russia
February 14 is the day of love in Russia too. In Russian, the holiday is called День святого Валентина (Den’ svyatogo Valentina) and represents a recent phenomenon in the country’s culture, as older generations (accounting for people older than 55) have never celebrated the holiday.
According to Polina Belova, 20, who lived in Russia and lived in the country for 17 years, people around age 55 and above consider Valentine’s Day a “gay” holiday. “They believe Saint Valentine married two boys,” Belova said.
However, this prejudicial view of the holiday started to change around the 1990s, and now the Russian celebrations are even more sophisticated than the Americans. Younger generations celebrate love on Valentine’s Day by exchanging candies, jewelry and giant bouquets.
Russian girls expect to receive bouquets with over 100 red roses from their lovers. “The size of a bouquet in Russia [is] generally bigger than here. Five roses would be like an insult,” Belova explained.
Final Note
Although love is a universal feeling capable of surpassing geographical boundaries, culture is intrinsically tied to its place of origin. Sometimes we are so immersed in our own culture that we forget other countries have different customs, traditions, values, events and holidays. Valentine’s Day celebrations may not have the same format or vibe everywhere, but the key message remains untouched: it is all about loving to love and to be loved.