Valentine’s Day around the World
February 11, 2014
Valentine's Day is widely celebrated around the world. It is a day where almost everyone expresses their love to someone freely and outwardly.
Let us take a peek on how Valentine’s Day is being celebrated in different countries.
Australia
Australia saw the peak of Valentine’s Day madness in the Gold Rush. Because of the money found from Ballarat Mines, Aussie men gave the most extravagant gifts to their loved ones.
Nothing was too expensive; they give the most precious jewels, perfumed satin cushions, and even taxidermy hummingbirds.
Australian surveys show that Aussie men are more romantic than women and that higher percentage of them buy Valentine’s Day cards.
United Kingdom
Aside from flowers, cards, and chocolates, British youngsters show off their poetic powers through writing love poems which are published in their tabloids and magazines. This has been a long time UK tradition.
It is also believed that birds choose their partners on February 14th each year, thus, this day is also sometimes called “Birds’ Wedding Day”.
Valentine’s Day also signals the end of their winter season and the beginning of spring.
Brazil
Valentine’s Day is a little bit different in Brazil. Here, they observe Boyfriend’s/Girlfriend’s Day also known as ‘Dia dos Namorados’ on June 12th of each year. They celebrate this in proximity to St. Anthony de Padua’s Day on June 13th whom they believed to grant blessings and fortune to marriages.
Gift giving dominates the occasion and lots of merriment and laughter can be seen all around.
Dia dos Namorados is a public holiday and everyone is the mood for dancing, partying, watching concerts and other musical shows. Sumptuous meals are also served on the table.
Portugal
Portuguese people have a genuine way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. They give gift baskets with all sorts of content- beauty products, chocolates, fruits, cookies, candies, or amazing premium wines and cheese.
Unlike in other countries where men are usually the gift givers and women the receivers, men in Portugal are entitled to receive gift baskets, too.
These gift baskets play a significant role in the way Portuguese express their passion to their loved ones.
