A celebration of love and goodwill, Valentine’s Day heralds visions of candy, cards, and stuffed animals. Although these motifs may seem universal, each culture entertains a unique mode of revelry. In this edition of The StickerTalk, join us on a virtual globe tour to explore Valentine’s Day around the world!
- In Denmark, pristine snowdrops replace roses as the floral emblem of the holiday. Men in Denmark additionally enjoy anonymously penning and gifting funny poems to lovely ladies. If a woman can successfully extrapolate who gave her the poem, she will receive an Easter egg from her admirer later in the year.
- South African women take a leaf from the ancient Romans in a Valentine’s Day tradition called Lupercalia. In this festivity, ladies wear the names of their love interests on their sleeves, helping the local men uncover the identities of their secret admirers.
- Revelers in Italy take Valentine’s Day very seriously! Unlike the American version of the holiday that encourages coworkers, classmates, and casual friends to exchange gifts, Italians reserve gifts exclusively for romantic partners. Chocolates, poems in a variety of languages, and leisurely strolls represent hallmarks of the holiday. Additionally, another prominent Italian tradition holds that the first man an unmarried woman sees on Valentine’s Day will be her future husband, prompting single girls to wake up before daylight to take advantage of the prime pickings!
Sources:
- https://www.rd.com/culture/valentines-day-around-the-world/
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/10-valentines-day-traditi_b_9190888
