LOVE or hate Valentine’s Day, you can’t escape it! Whether romance is on the cards or not, most of us will be marking the amorous day somehow.

It looks like the language of love isn’t quite universal, as it’s been translated quite differently around the world. 

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Love is all around

• Argentina

For this South American country, it’s all about La Semana de la Dulzura… Sweetness Week!

From 1^st July to 7^th July, chocolates and sweet treats are exchanged not just between lovers, but also friends.

It started in 1989 after a campaign from sweets company Arcor stated “a sweet for a kiss”.

If someone gives you chocolate during la semana de la dulzura, their payment is a kiss… and we don’t mean a Hershey’s chocolate!

• Japan

Putting the ‘man’ in ‘romance’, in Japan 14^th February is a day where women buy gifts and chocolates for men.

It’s not just about the special men in your life, but also a day for male friends and colleagues.

Men can know how special they are to a woman based on what type of chocolate he’s given: giri choco (“obligation chocolate”) is for the non-romantic men in your life and honmei choco (“true love chocolate”) is for that special someone.

Japan’s all about gender equality when it comes to love, as on 14^th March (‘White Day’) the roles are reversed and men must buy women gifts.

These are expected to be two or three times the value of the gifts that they received on 14^th February, which is nothing to snickers about. 

• Philippines

Sharing is caring in the Philippines when it comes to Valentine’s Day. As an act of public service, the government puts on sponsored mass weddings for citizens on 14^th February where everything is usually free – the ceremony, flowers, a wedding cake and even wedding rings!

The only catch? You’ll get married alongside potentially hundreds of other couples.

Local government officials lead mass wedding ceremonies in venues such as shopping centres or other public areas.

• Wales

The Welsh are all about the cuddles. They even have a special word for it, “cwtch” (“kutch”).

They are especially keen on a spoon. More specifically, a lovespoon. The amorous celebrations happen on 25^th January, Saint Dwynwen’s Day (the Welsh patron saint of lovers).

Couples exchange intricately hand-carved wooden spoons, a tradition that dates back to 16^th century.

The many potential patterns and symbols have different meanings: a horseshoe for luck, a knot to show the entwined lives of the lovers or keys to show that the recipient holds the keys to their lover’s heart. 

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Let’s get our facts straight

Britain might not be known as a romantic country, doesn’t mean that we don’t spend our pennies for those that we love:

• It’s estimated that over £1.4 billion will be spent for Valentine’s Day this year.
• Over 25 million cards will be sent.
• Turns out, men are more romantic than women. Well, they spend more anyway. In the UK, the average man spends £26 on Valentine’s Day while women spend £21.
• The cities that spend the most are Bristol, London and Exeter.
• Love isn’t all about what you spend, that’s what they tell you in Hull, Glasgow and Carlisle anyway, as they spend the least.  
• Approximately 8% of surveyed people admitted to breaking up with someone on Valentine’s Day – ouch!

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A-list present giving

Celebs aren’t like normal people. Just look at what they gift each other for Valentine’s Day:

• In 2020, Hailey Bieber gave Justin a pink Dreamsicle. It cost $10,000 and is one of only 10 in existence. It’s got over 12,000 crystals and was designed by digital artist Dan Life.
• Jay-Z gave Beyoncé a platinum covered phone in 2009 that cost over £19,000.
• Kanye West gave Kim Kardashian a Panthere De Cartier Cuff worth £56,000 in 2013. The bracelet, set on a black cuff, is a diamond encrusted panther with emerald eyes and an onyx nose.
• The leading man when it comes to romance is none other than our home-grown heartthrob, David Beckham. In 2006, he gave Victoria Beckham a Bulgair necklace dripping with diamonds and rubies that cost over £6 million.

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