How is February 14 celebrated in different countries. Traditions of celebrating Valentine's Day in different countries
Not everyone unequivocally perceives February 14 as a holiday. To provide festive signs of attention to loved ones, July 8 was defined as the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity. But many are not averse to celebrating both our, Slavic, and theirs, Western Valentine's Day at once.
In Germany, on February 14, the Day of Crazies is celebrated, in Ukraine - the Day of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection of the Armed Forces, in Bulgaria and Serbia - the Day of Wine Growers. But there are places where people are not allowed to treat the celebrations frivolously. And first of all, these are Muslim countries where it is strictly forbidden to celebrate Valentine's Day.
The taboo for celebrations associated with St. Valentine's Day was imposed by the decision of the Islamabad Supreme Court. The holiday was recognized as contrary to Muslim culture, it was forbidden to even mention it in the media. But, they say that in cafes and shops they look at this ban through their fingers.
For this country, raids on shops on February 14, during which various goods with the symbols of the holiday of lovers are seized, are common. The holiday itself was banned by the Supreme Islamic Council back in 2012 as inconsistent with religious, cultural and social norms. Every year on the eve of February 14, the young population of the country is reminded of this.
Malaysia
For a special attitude to the Western Valentine's Day in this country, you can pay with freedom. The vice police can easily organize an arrest if they witness a violation of the 2005 ban on celebrating Valentine's Day. It is believed that imitation of an alien culture can lead to "immoral acts."
Saudi Arabia
Is it possible to imagine a state with stricter laws than Saudi Arabia? For the open celebration of Valentine's Day here, it is easy to go to jail. Everything is so serious that on February 14 the sale of some goods is limited. For example, it is almost impossible to buy chocolate, red roses, items with “love” symbols on this day.
The only non-Muslim country where the celebration of Valentine's Day is opposed at the highest level. Indian nationalists are especially categorical and point out that only spouses should openly show love. And for young people, such adherence to Western culture can only turn into negative consequences, in the form of moral promiscuity and early pregnancy.
As a result, in the shops of Indian cities you will not see the pink-red variegation of valentines and other attributes of the holiday.
Reason to confess your love
Not everyone will find it a good idea to spend a holiday in one of the aforementioned countries just out of dislike for imposed romance. And what to do if suddenly on Valentine's Day you find yourself overboard the holiday, left alone or simply "not in love"?
February 14, 2020 falls on a Friday. It’s a good reason to take a day off on this day at your own expense and leave until Monday to a place where nothing will overshadow pleasant communication with yourself. Experts from one of the popular services for selling cheap air tickets recently conducted a survey on which cities are not boring and even pleasant to visit alone.
The list of popular destinations was topped by St. Petersburg, New York, Rome, Tokyo and Istanbul. Choose the option that suits your pocket and go ahead and buy a ticket!
Nothing warms lovers in a cold and harsh winter like this truly romantic and tender holiday - St. Valentine's Day, when spring has not yet come, but the heart has already thawed. Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th. The holiday pretty quickly covered almost the whole world, but in each country they celebrate it in a special way.
In some countries, February 14 is not an ordinary weekday, but not a holiday for all lovers at all. For example, in Germany it is the day of the mentally ill, so most of the decorated buildings are medical institutions, hung with bright red ribbons and bows. If on February 14 you find yourself in Germany and stumble upon a building decorated in such a way, you can be sure: in front of you is a psychiatric hospital. According to the Germans, a feeling like love is a form of serious mental illness. 
In Japanese culture, this holiday also has differences, and in general, relationships between lovers are built in a completely different way than in other countries. In Japan, February 14 is a day exclusively for men, so ladies may not count on gifts. 
On Valentine's Day, Australians congratulate not only their soulmate, but also their relatives, because they have this family celebration. But for Taiwanese beauties, this is one of the most long-awaited holidays. After all, if a girl is given a bouquet of 100 roses on this day, then her wedding is guaranteed: for them, this is tantamount to a marriage proposal. But if a young man wants to confess his love, then a gift in the form of one rose will do it for him.
If we talk about the Spaniards, they are very conservative with regard to holidays. Valentine's Day is common among them mainly among young people, and in the Catalonia region, instead of February's Valentine's Day, April 23 is St. George's Day.
How lovers celebrate in Barcelona, said a young girl for whom this day is always special:
- I have been living in Barcelona for almost 8 years. AT such a day It's impossible to walk past shop windows and not buy something, even if you don't have a significant other. Cafes and restaurants are preparing new dishes dedicated to Valentine's Day. Some brands release special collections for this occasion. Therefore, finding a gift for your soul mate is quite easy. Usually Spanish couples go somewhere for dinner, where you can exchange gifts and interesting program look. Unlike Belarusian culture, guys in Spain don't have a habit of giving flowers to girls on February 14th. Favorite place for lovers in the city –
Singing Fountains. This beauty cannot be described in words... Personally, I will celebrate February 14 with my friends. We'll go to a jazz concert. It is very pleasing that even those who do not have a soulmate remain satisfied on this day and know how to celebrate it.
February 14, 2020 - Friday, 45th day of 2020 according to the Gregorian calendar. February 14 corresponds to February 1 of the Julian calendar (according to the old style).
Holidays February 14, 2020 in Russia
Holidays February 14, 2020 in Ukraine
World and international holidays February 14, 2020
Valentine's Day (Valentine's Day)
It is believed that Valentine's Day has existed for more than 16 centuries, but the holidays of Love are known from even earlier times - from the time of ancient pagan cultures. For example, the Romans in mid-February celebrated a festival of eroticism called Lupercalia, in honor of the goddess of love, Juno Februata.
The holiday also has a specific "culprit" - the Christian priest Valentine. This story dates back to around 269, when the Roman Empire was ruled by Emperor Claudius II.
The warring Roman army experienced an acute shortage of soldiers for military campaigns, and the commander was convinced that the main enemy of his "Napoleonic" plans was marriage, because a married legionnaire thinks much less about the glory of the empire than about how to feed his family. And, in order to preserve the military spirit in his soldiers, the emperor issued a decree forbidding the legionnaires to marry. But the soldiers did not become less in love because of this. And to their happiness, there was a man who, not fearing the imperial wrath, began to secretly marry the legionnaires with their lovers. It was a priest named Valentine from the Roman city of Terni (Valentine of Terni).
Apparently, he was a real romantic, since his favorite pastimes were reconciling those who quarreled, helping to write love letters and giving flowers to the subjects of their passion at the request of the legionnaires. Of course, as soon as the emperor found out about this, he decided to stop his "criminal activities". Valentine was sentenced to death.
The tragedy of the situation was also in the fact that Valentine himself was in love with the jailer's daughter. The day before the execution, the priest wrote a farewell letter to the girl, where he spoke about his love, and signed it “Your Valentine”. It was read after he was executed. Subsequently, as a Christian martyr who suffered for his faith, Valentine was canonized by the Catholic Church. And in 496, Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 to be Valentine's Day.
geek day
February 14 is an unofficial, but widely celebrated in the professional world, Day of the Computer Scientist. The date was not chosen by chance, February 14, 1946 scientific world and the first really working electronic computer ENIAC I (Electrical Numerical Integrator And Calculator) was demonstrated to all those interested.
International Book Giving Day is celebrated annually on February 14th. Its main task is to popularize reading among the younger generation and to provide access to books as much as possible. more children around the world.
Orthodox holidays February 14, 2020
February 14, 2020 in the Orthodox Church: 1st preparatory week for Great Lent. The week is solid; there is no post.
The following memorable dates have been established:
- Prefeast of the Presentation of the Lord;
- Memorial Day of the Martyr Tryphon of Apamea;
- Memorial Day of the martyr Perpetua, the martyrs Satyr (Satur), Revocat, Satornil (Saturnil), Secundus and the martyr Felicity;
- Memorial Day of St. Peter of Galatia, the Silent;
- Memorial Day of St. Vendimian, hermit of Bithynia;
- Memorial Day of Hieromartyr Nikolai Mezentsev, Presbyter.
Folk holidays February 14, 2020
Trifonov day
The national holiday "Tryphon's Day" is celebrated on February 14 (according to the old style - February 1). AT church calendar This is the day of honoring the memory of the holy martyr Tryphon, who is considered by the people to be the patron saint of spouses and families. Other names of the holiday: "Tryphon", "Tryphon the mouse hunter", "Tryphon Perezimnik", "Day of Tryphon the Mice Whisperer".
Saint Tryphon lived in the 3rd century in Nicaea. From an early age, he adopted Christian customs, and as a youth, he showed the gift of miracles, healing the sick. According to legend, Tryphon cast out a demon from the daughter of the Roman emperor Gordian III, who, although he was an idolater, did not persecute Christians. However, during the reign of the next emperor, Decius Trajan, persecution began and Tryphon was executed.
Trifon's day was especially widely celebrated in Bulgaria and Serbia, where it had the character of a holiday with numerous ceremonies. It was considered the pre-spring holiday of winegrowers, since Saint Tryphon was their patron. Among the Russians, he acted as the patron of hunters for game birds. Among the southern Slavs, the first three days of February (Tryphon's Day, Candlemas, Pochinki) were considered the boundary between winter and spring.
They prayed to Saint Tryphon when pests attacked crops and plantations. Among other ailments and misfortunes, they prayed to the saint for the patronage of the family hearth, love and peace of the spouses, in sorrow, in sadness and despondency, for good grooms and brides, for getting rid of snoring, eye diseases, for driving away evil spirits from a person, for getting rid of sorcery.
In Russia, mice and mousers spoke to Tryphon. Mysharniki are places where mice found food and warmth. The healer came to such a mouser, took out a sheaf (or a shred, if it is a hay) from all four sides, “from the four winds”, carefully put it all in a pile - with special whisperings - and carried it to the hut to the householder who invited him .
Here, what was brought was placed in a cleanly swept, hotly preheated oven and kindled with a red-hot poker. The ash remaining after the burnt sheaves or shreds of hay was carefully raked out and transferred to the threshing floor, where it spilled out into the places where the sheaves were taken out. The healer, pouring the ashes into the proper places, read special conspiracies. It was believed that after that their mouse king took the mice away.
Also on the day of Tryphon, unmarried girls prayed for suitors. February was traditionally the month of weddings, and this time was considered the best time to ask the higher powers for family happiness.
Catholic holidays February 14, 2020
Saints Cyril and Methodius Day
Cyril and Methodius - enlighteners of the Slavs, patrons of Europe, creators of the Slavic alphabet. The Catholic Church honors their memory on February 14th.
Around 861, both brothers, as part of the Byzantine embassy to the Khazar Khaganate, twice visited Chersonesos, then were sent by Emperor Michael the Third to Great Moravia, one of the largest states in Central Europe at that time.
This mission was organized at the request of the Moravian prince Rostislav (846-879), who sought to limit the influence of the German clergy in his principality and wanted the Christian doctrine to be preached in a language understandable to the Slavs, and not in Latin.
Cyril and Methodius translated the books of Holy Scripture from Greek into Slavonic, as well as the literature necessary for the conduct of divine services. The translation was based on the well-known Eastern Bulgarian dialects.
Unlike other ways of recording Slavic speech practiced in that era, the Slavic writing of Cyril and Methodius was a special complete system, created taking into account all the specific features of the Slavic language. For translation texts, they created a special alphabet - Glagolitic. The brothers also taught the local clergy to celebrate the service in Slavic. This experience has spread in the neighboring lands inhabited by the Slavs.
As a result of the translation activity of Cyril and Methodius, a corpus of texts in the Slavic language was created, which gave an idea of the basic norms of the Christian world, at the same time, literary language, capable of serving all spheres of life in Slavic society at the same high level as Greek and Latin.
In fact, according to the annals, writing already existed among the Slavs, and this was repeatedly confirmed by various sources. Both scientists and writers are now pointing to this. And in previous centuries, this was confirmed by both Lomonosov and Tatishchev.
Holidays February 14, 2020 around the world
Holiday in Bulgaria February 14, 2020 - Trifon Zarezan - the holiday of winegrowers
The holiday dedicated to Tryphon Zarezan has its roots in ancient times, when the Bulgarian lands were inhabited by the tribes of the Thracians, who revered Dionysus, the god of wine and vines, more than all the gods.
The ancestors of modern Bulgarians who came to the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in the 7th century adopted the Thracian traditions of winemaking and viticulture. Subsequently, the winegrowers' holiday was superimposed on pagan traditions in the popular mind.
Holiday in Germany February 14, 2020 - Samba Carnival in Bremen
Bremen Samba Carnival The Bremer Karneval is Germany's largest musical samba carnival, with vibrant performances and fiery music from this energetic Brazilian dance. Samba dancers from all over Germany come to take part in the street carnival, and thousands of tourists come to see this bright holiday.
All holidays February 14
On February 14, 2020, 4 festive events are celebrated in Russia and the world, including 1 church holiday on Orthodox calendar. Here is what the full list of holidays for February 14 looks like:
- Valentine's Day
- geek day
- Trifonov day
- International Book Giving Day
Below you will not only find out which holiday is February 14, but also find Interesting Facts, traditions and history of each event associated with this day.
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day or Valentine's Day is known and loved in many countries. Couples, single people and secret lovers are looking forward to February 14, preparing for it with joy and anticipation, but the true origin of the holiday is still shrouded in mystery.
Valentine's Day is associated with a legend about a Christian priest who lived in the city of Interamna (Italy) in the second half of the 3rd century. In those days, the Roman Empire was at war with the ancient Germanic tribes, and Emperor Claudius II believed that a warrior who had a family was a bad warrior. Therefore, he forbade marriage. Those priests who disobeyed the decree were awaited by the gallows.
But the Bishop of Interama, having a good heart, secretly married the lovers. When this became known to the emperor, the disobedient was thrown into prison. There he fell in love with the warder's daughter and on the eve of the execution (it happened on February 14) sent her a note with a confession and signed "your Valentine".
But this is nothing more than a beautiful legend. History does not know a clergyman with such a biography. The real Hieromartyr Valentin Interamsky did not conduct a secret wedding. It is known about him that he could heal the sick through prayer to the Lord. Very many of those whom he helped began to believe in Christ and accepted a new faith, finding a spiritual father in the person of their savior. This angered the pagans and the bishop was executed.
In the Orthodox church calendar, August 14 is not the day of remembrance of the great martyr Valentine, therefore the church considers the feast of lovers to be secular and does not forbid celebrating it if it does not have religious overtones. But in some Catholic dioceses, the memory of St.
geek day
The computer is one of the most important human creations. And if earlier computers were used exclusively by programmers, now it is not a luxury, but a necessary and affordable thing for every person. Even small children and preschoolers have primitive skills and use them freely. This technique is multifunctional and can perform many tasks - typing and editing text, processing video materials and graphic images, accessing the Internet, mediating communication in in social networks and many others production issues. For the correct functioning of systems and the development of the latest software, a once-new profession in the field of IT technologies was introduced. In honor of their hard mental work, a thematic celebration was organized - the day of the computer scientist.
The date itself is celebrated on February 14 - it was at this time that the first successful attempt to create a computer shown to the general public, which functioned independently, was recorded. Previous tests have not been successful, so their dating is often omitted. All early developments were largely funded by the United States of America with a view to their application in military affairs, intelligence activities and ballistic calculations.
Designed in 1946, the calculating machine was massive in size, occupied the volume of an entire room, and even despite its dimensions, it was capable of performing the most complex tasks in a matter of moments.
Trifonov day
The date of February 14 is better known in our country as Valentine's Day. Few people know that at the same time Orthodox Church celebrates Tryphon's Day, honoring the memory of Saint Tryphon of Apamea, who gave his life for the idea of faith. The righteous man, endowed with the gift of eloquence and persuasion, converted more than one hundred people to the Christian faith and made a great contribution to the development of ancient religion.
Tryphon was born into seven devout Christians at the beginning of the 3rd century in the Phrygian city of Apamea. Other open historical sources claim that the boy's birthplace was Misia Lampsak on the banks of the Dardanelles. While still in his teens, he discovered in himself God's gift of healing, prayer healing and exorcism. Religious writings recorded information about how a young boy, with the help of the Lord, drove creeping reptiles, rats and insects out of Campsada, thereby saving the inhabitants of the town from starvation.
In those days, an event happened in the family of Mark Gordian III that forced the ruler to reconsider his views on life - the devil moved into his daughter Gordiana. The emperor claimed that only Tryphon was able to heal her and demanded that he be immediately delivered to the Penates. The man expelled the settler from the imperial daughter and forced him to present in physical form a black dog with demonic red eyes, thereby shaking the idolatrous views of this family. Many eyewitnesses renounced their former religion in favor of Christianity.
Then the tyrant Decius Trajan came to power, and the life of the saint changed. As part of the persecution of Christians, Tryphon was captured and tortured and tortured.
Valentine's Day has been around for seventeen centuries in a row. Can you imagine how many people said “I love” each other during this time? How do people celebrate Valentine's Day? different culture and religion in different countries of the world? The ancient Romans celebrated Love Day on February 14 - they prayed to the goddess of marriage and motherhood Juno, remembered the god of eroticism Eros and the god of entertainment Pan. The girls looked for their men by writing a letter and throwing it into a deep urn. And the one who pulled him out of there, and...
Valentine's Day has been around for seventeen centuries in a row. Can you imagine how many people said “I love” each other during this time? How do people with different cultures and religions celebrate Valentine's Day in different countries of the world?
The ancient Romans celebrated Love Day on February 14 - they prayed to the goddess of marriage and motherhood Juno, remembered the god of eroticism Eros and the god of entertainment Pan. The girls looked for their men by writing a letter and throwing it into a deep urn.
And the one who pulled him out of there became a husband. Even young people during the holiday beat each other with the skins of animals and in such a frantic dance-game they were looking for their soul mate.
The ancient Greeks held mass lovemaking and lavish feasts in honor of the goddess of love, Aphrodite. During these orgies there were also life partners.
Valentine's Day began to be massively celebrated in Western Europe and the USA in the 13th century. The tradition of writing valentines, giving sweets, flowers and singing serenades has firmly entered the minds of people.
By the way, it was for this holiday that the capitalists launched the production of postcards and caramel. For a certain amount of time, Americans sent marzipans to their brides, which cost a fortune. Such a gesture was considered almost a marriage proposal.
As early as the 17th century, the court chronicler of the English court, Samuel Pepys, wrote that on Valentine's Day, young people should exchange gloves, rings and sweets. In addition, on this day, any woman can approach the man she likes and invite him to become her husband. The important thing is that the man had no right to refuse the lady. And if his heart was already not free, then in that case he gave her a silk dress.
in Japan and Korea since the 1930s. there is a tradition on this day to present sweets to the second half. On Valentine's Day, only men receive gifts, women are given gifts a month later - on White Day. Moreover, in Korea there is a tradition to celebrate the so-called Black Day.
It was invented by Korean single men who didn't get gifts on Valentine's Day, so they go to bachelor parties, get drunk and eat Jajang black noodles.
In passionate France, on Valentine's Day, they give each other jewelry, and in romantic Denmark, they send dried white flowers to each other.
But in prim England, boys and girls guess. The ladies wake up before sunrise and look out the windows. The first one the young lady sees will become her husband. And in one of the counties - Derbshire - girls from 3 to 12 times bypass the church at midnight and repeat the spell.
After that, according to legend, they will meet true love. On this day, all unmarried English women throw notes into the river with the names of the man of their dreams. The piece of paper that floats to the top first will become fatal, as will the name written on it.
In Jamaica, mass “naked weddings” are carried out on this day: celebrations are held on numerous beaches and naked.
In Brazil, Valentine's Day is celebrated on June 12th. On this day, single Brazilian women perform magical rituals, thereby attracting single men to themselves.
In Israel, Love Day is celebrated at the end of summer. A girl may well offer her hand and heart to a man she likes.
The Germans associate love with madness, and St. Valentine, of course, is considered the patron saint of the insane. On this day, they decorate psychiatric hospitals with colorful ribbons and flowers, and special masses are celebrated.On Valentine's Day, Poles visit the Poznan metropolis, where, according to ancient legend, the relics of St. Valentine are located and an icon with the face of the saint is kept. The Poles believe in her miraculous power, so they consider it their duty to venerate her and ask the saint for family happiness.
By the way, Valentine's Day is banned in Muslim Saudi Arabia. The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Sin imposed exorbitant penalties for non-compliance with their ruling. Stores are strictly prohibited from selling valentines, red roses, soft toys and heart-shaped sweets because they are "pernicious western traditions confuse the minds of the rising generation of Saudi Arabia, and such festivals cultivate sin."
Under the Soviet Union, the concept of "saint", and even more so "Saint Valentine" did not exist. In the countries of the post-Soviet space, Valentine's Day began to be celebrated already in the 20th century.
Young people exchange valentines, sweets, toys, give flowers, arrange romantic dinners and walks. In this regard, we are not a single step behind the West.
Orthodox priests do not see anything wrong with the fact that lovers revere St. Valentine. They are sure that saying “I love you” and doing romantic things should be done daily. But true Orthodox Holiday love is celebrated on July 8 - in honor of the holy spouses Peter and Fevronia of Murom.
Gradually, the holiday of St. Valentine acquired its own rituals and traditions, some of which have survived to this day. And each country is different.
In all countries, it is very popular to arrange weddings and get married on this day.
Some argue that on this day a woman can approach a man she loves and politely ask him to marry her. If he is not ready for such a decisive step, then he should thank for the honor and give the woman a silk dress, and himself a silk lace with a heart strung on it.
In some countries, unmarried women are given clothes by their lovers. If the girl accepted the gift, then she agrees to marry this man.
There is a belief that the first man who met a girl on February 14 should be her Valentine, regardless of his desire.
Some people believed that if a girl saw a robin on Valentine's Day, she would marry a sailor; if she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be happy with him; if she was a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.
A significant place in the celebration of the Roman Day of Love was given to fortune-telling, and so far, in Europe, this remains a tradition of St. Valentine's Day. It is believed that on this day, February 14, birds choose a mate, and people need to hurry up and do the same. Therefore, for several centuries in a row, the girls of Europe write their names on pieces of paper, put them in a box, and then the young men take out a piece of paper from there, thereby choosing a mate for themselves for the whole year.
England. In medieval England, it was common to choose a "Valentine" for oneself. Several young people gathered together, wrote the names of the girls on pieces of parchment, put them in a hat and drew lots. That girl, whose name fell out to a young man, became his "Valentina" for a whole year, and he became her "Valentine". "Valentin" composed sonnets to his girlfriend, played the lute to her, accompanied her everywhere, in a word, behaved like a real knight. Wales carved wooden "spoons of love" and gave them to loved ones on February 14th. Spoons were decorated with hearts, keys and keyholes, which meant "you found the way to my heart." There was also a custom to dress up children as adults. Children went from house to house and sang songs about Saint Valentine. 
The girls and boys of England, apparently, are especially sentimental, because there they believe especially strongly in fortune-telling on Valentine's Day. For example, unmarried girls on February 14 get up before sunrise, stand near the window and look at the passing men. According to legend, the first man they see is the betrothed. In Derbshire (one of the counties of central England), girls go around the church 3 to 12 times at midnight, repeating certain verses. And after this simple procedure, it is believed that true love should come to them. In addition, unmarried English girls must throw folded pieces of paper into the river or pond on this day with written on them male names. The name that comes up first will be the future groom.
America. At the beginning of the last century, Americans began to send marzipans to their brides on Valentine's Day. But marzipan contained sugar, which was then very expensive. This tradition really gained momentum after the widespread use of sugar beets in 1800. The Americans urgently set up the production of caramel on the continent and began to scratch words corresponding to the holiday on sweets. Then they began to produce special sweets for this holiday with congratulatory words scratched on them, and then they also put them in heart-shaped cardboard boxes, which was a huge success. Caramels were made red and white. Red meant passion, and white meant purity of love.
In our time, for American women, February 14 is really a fateful date. Finding herself with her beloved that day somewhere in Atlanta or New York, the American immediately proposes to him. According to tradition, he simply cannot refuse. Well, if he nevertheless rejected the offer, as compensation, you can demand a silk red dress (better, of course, from a famous couturier), in which you can start a new life with a more determined man.
serious Germans stubbornly consider love to be something like a quiet insanity, so St. Valentine for them is primarily the patron saint of lunatics. On this day, the Germans decorate psychiatric hospitals with scarlet ribbons, and hold a special service in chapels. So, if on February 14 in Germany you stumble upon a building lavishly decorated with ribbons and balloons, you can be sure that you are in front of a psychiatric hospital.
France. The passionate and loving French, on Valentine's Day, it is customary to give jewelry. And the French were the first to introduce "valentines" as love messages-quatrains.
Poland. Calm Poles prefer to visit the Poznan metropolis on this day, where, according to legend, the relics of St. Valentine rest, and his miraculous icon is located above the main altar. The Poles believe that pilgrimage to her helps in love affairs.
Italy. Carefree Italians celebrate Valentine's Day in a completely different way. They consider it their duty to give their beloved gifts, mostly sweets. In Italy, this day is called "sweet".
Denmark. In romantic Denmark, people send dried white flowers to each other.
Japan. In Japan, the tradition of giving sweets on this day also appeared for a reason, but at the suggestion of one large chocolate manufacturing company. They started celebrating Valentine's Day in the 30s, and chocolate remains the most common gift to this day. By the way, there Valentine's Day is slightly reminiscent of "March 8 for men", as Japanese men receive, perhaps, even more gifts than women. Gambling Japanese on this day organize a competition for the loudest declaration of love. The one who loudly declared his feelings into the microphone wins a prize. Naturally, all the gifts to men go to.
Saudi Arabia. But there are some countries in the world that have especially distinguished themselves in celebrating Valentine's Day. First of all, this is Saudi Arabia, which is the only country in the world where this holiday ... is officially banned, and under pain of heavy fines. The Saudi Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Sin has ruled that Valentine's Day should be banned because the pernicious Western traditions confuse the minds of the younger generation of Saudi Arabia, and such holidays cultivate sin. All shops in the country are strictly prohibited from selling teddy bears, "valentines" and any symbols related to this holiday. And flower shops are ordered not to sell red roses on Valentine's Day.
So you and I are very lucky that we do not live in Saudi Arabia and can congratulate our loved ones and have fun on this day from the heart!
Jamaica. But the most violent festivities have been held for several years in Jamaica. In particular, last year at the fashionable local resort "Hedonism-II" several ... "naked weddings" were held: couples stood under the crown and exchanged rings "in what the mother gave birth."
So, as you can see, on this holiday you can not only arrange an exchange of paper hearts, but also find a lot of much more interesting entertainment.