Saint Valentine's Day, commonly known as Valentine's Day,[1][2][3] or the Feast of Saint Valentine,[4] is observed on February 14 each year. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it remains a working day in most of them.[3]
St. Valentine's Day began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints namedValentinus. The most popularmartyrology associated with Saint Valentine was that he was imprisoned for performingweddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who werepersecuted under the Roman Empire; during his imprisonment, he is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer Asterius. Legend states that before his execution he wrote "from your Valentine" as a farewell to her.[5][6] Today, Saint Valentine's Day is an officialfeast day in theAnglican Communion,[7] as well as in theLutheran Church.[8] TheEastern Orthodox Church also celebrates Saint Valentine's Day, albeit onJuly 6th andJuly 30th, the former date in honor of the Romanpresbyter Saint Valentine, and the latter date in honor of Hieromartyr Valentine, the Bishop of Interamna (modern Terni).[9][10]
The day was first associated withromantic love in the circle ofGeoffrey Chaucer in theHigh Middle Ages, when the tradition ofcourtly love flourished. By the 15th century, it had evolved into an occasion in whichlovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offeringconfectionery, and sendinggreeting cards (known as "valentines").[1][3] Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include theheart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the wingedCupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-producedgreeting cards.[11]
Saint Valentine
Historical facts
Shrine of St. Valentine in Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland
Numerous earlyChristian martyrs were namedValentine.[12] The Valentines honored on February 14 are Valentine of Rome (Valentinus presb. m. Romae) and Valentine of Terni (Valentinus ep. Interamnensis m. Romae).[13] Valentine of Rome[14] was a priest in Rome who was martyred about AD 269 and was buried on theVia Flaminia. The flower crowned skull[15] of St Valentine is exhibited in the Basilica ofSanta Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. Other relics are found in the Basilica ofSanta Prassede,[16] also in Rome, as well as atWhitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland.
Valentine of Terni[17] became bishop of Interamna (modernTerni) about AD 197 and is said to have been martyred during the persecution under EmperorAurelian. He is also buried on the Via Flaminia, but in a different location than Valentine of Rome. His relics are at the Basilica of Saint Valentine in Terni (Basilica di San Valentino).[18]
The Catholic Encyclopedia also speaks of a third saint named Valentine who was mentioned in earlymartyrologies under date of February 14. He was martyred in Africa with a number of companions, but nothing more is known about him.[19] Saint Valentine's head was preserved in the abbey ofNew Minster, Winchester and venerated.[20]
February 14 is celebrated as St Valentine's Day in variousChristian denominations; it has, for example, the rank of 'commemoration' in thecalendar of saints in theAnglican Communion.[7] In addition, thefeast day of Saint Valentine is also given in thecalendar of saints of theLutheran Church.[8] However, in the 1969 revision of theRoman Catholic Calendar of Saints, thefeast day of Saint Valentine on February 14 wasremoved from theGeneral Roman Calendar and relegated to particular (local or even national) calendars for the following reason: "Though the memorial of Saint Valentine is ancient, it is left to particular calendars, since, apart from his name, nothing is known of Saint Valentine except that he was buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14."[21] The feast day is still celebrated inBalzan (Malta) where relics of the saint are claimed to be found, and also throughout the world byTraditionalist Catholics who follow the older, pre-Second Vatican Council calendar. In theEastern Orthodox Church, St. Valentine's Day is celebrated onJuly 6th, in whichSaint Valentine, the Roman presbyter, is honoured; furthermore, the Eastern Orthodox Church obsesrves the feast of Hieromartyr Valentine, Bishop of Interamna, onJuly 30th.[22][23]
Legends
Bishop Demetri of the Orthodox Research Institute, in akeynote address, states that "St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D, a time when the church was enduring great persecution. His ministry was to help the Christians to escape this persecution, and to provide them the sacraments, such as marriage, which was outlawed by the Roman Empire at that time."[24] Contemporary records of Saint Valentine were most probably destroyed during theDiocletianic Persecution on early 4th century.[25] In the 5th or 6th century, a work called Passio Marii et Marthae published an invented story of martyrdom for Saint Valentine of Rome, probably by borrowing tortures that happened to other saints, as it was usually made in the literature of that period.[25][26] It states that St Valentine was persecuted as aChristian and interrogated byRoman EmperorClaudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Romanpaganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he was executed. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing Julia, the blind daughter of his jailer Asterius. The jailer's daughter and his forty-four memberhousehold (family members and servants) came to believe inJesus and werebaptized.[25] In addition to this, Saint Valentine is said to have performed clandestineChristian weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. The Roman Emperor Claudius II supposedly forbade this in order to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. According to legend, in order to "remind them of God's love and to encourage them to remain faithful Christians," Saint Valentine is said to have cut hearts from parchment, giving them to the soldiers andpersecuted Christians, a possible origin of the widespread use of hearts on Saint Valentine's Day.[5][27] A later Passio repeated the legend, adding thatPope Julius I built a church over his sepulcre (it's a confusion with a 4th century tribune called Valentino who donated land to build a church at a time when Julius was a Pope).[26] The legend was picked up as fact by later martyrologies, starting byBede's martyrology in the 8th century.[26] It was repeated in the 13th century, in Legenda Aurea.[28] The book expounded briefly the Early Medieval acta of several Saint Valentines, and this legend was assigned to the Valentine under 14 February.
There is an additional embellishment to The Golden Legend, which according to Henry Ansgar Kelly, was added centuries later, and widely repeated.[29] On the evening before Valentine was to beexecuted, he would have written the first "valentine" card himself, addressed to the daughter of his jailer Asterius, who was no longer blind, signing as "Your Valentine."[29] This expression "From your Valentine" is still used to this day.[27] This legend has been published by bothAmerican Greetings andThe History Channel.[30]John Foxe, an English historian, as well as theOrder of Carmelites, state that Saint Valentine was buried in theChurch of Praxedes in Rome, located near the cemetery of St Hippolytus. This order says that according to legend, "Julia herself planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave. Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship."[31][32]
Attested traditions
Lupercalia
There is no evidence of any link between Saint Valentine's Day and the rites of the ancient Roman festival, despite many claims by many authors.[20][33] The celebration of Saint Valentine did not have any romantic connotations untilChaucer's poetry about "Valentines" in the 14th century.[25]
Popular modern sources claim links to unspecified Greco-Roman February holidays alleged to be devoted to fertility and love to St. Valentine's Day, but prior toChaucer in the 14th century, there were no links between the Saints named Valentinus and romantic love.[25] Earlier links as described above were focused on sacrifice rather than romantic love. In theancient Athenian calendar the period between mid-January and mid-February was the month ofGamelion, dedicated to the sacred marriage ofZeus andHera.
In Ancient Rome,Lupercalia, observed February 13–15, was an archaic rite connected to fertility. Lupercalia was a festival local to the city of Rome. The more general Festival ofJuno Februa, meaning "Juno the purifier "or "the chaste Juno", was celebrated on February 13–14. PopeGelasius I (492–496) abolished Lupercalia.
Alban Butler in his Lifes of the Principal Saints (1756–1759) claimed without proof that men and women in Lupercalia drew names from a jar to make couples, and that modern Valentine's letters originated from this custom. In reality, this practice originated in the Middle Ages, with no link to Lupercalia, with men drawing the names of girls at random to couple with them. This custom was combated by priests, for example byFrances de Sales around 1600, apparently by replacing it with a religious custom of girls drawing the names of apostles from thealtar. However, this religious custom is recorded as soon as the 13th century in the life of SaintElizabeth of Hungary, so it could have a different origin.[20]
Chaucer's love birds
The first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) byGeoffrey Chaucer.[25] Chaucer wrote:
For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.
["For this was on Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate."]
This poem was written to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of KingRichard II of England toAnne of Bohemia.[34] A treaty providing for a marriage was signed on May 2, 1381.[35] (When they were married eight months later, they were each only 15 years old).
Readers have uncritically assumed that Chaucer was referring to February 14 as Valentine's Day; however, mid-February is an unlikely time for birds to be mating in England. Henry Ansgar Kelly has pointed out that Chaucer could be referring to May 3, the celebration in the liturgical calendar of Valentine of Genoa, an earlybishop of Genoa who died around AD 307.[34][36][37] Jack B. Oruch says that date for the start of Spring has changed since Chaucer's time due toprecession of equinoxes and the introduction of theGregorian calendar in 1582. The weather would correspond to the modern 23 February, a time when some birds have started mating and nesting in England.[25]
Chaucer's Parliament of Foules is set in a fictional context of an old tradition, but in fact there was no such tradition before Chaucer. The speculative explanation of sentimental customs, posing as historical fact, had their origins among 18th-centuryantiquaries, notablyAlban Butler, the author of Butler's Lives of Saints, and have been perpetuated even by respectable modern scholars. Most notably, "the idea that Valentine's Day customs perpetuated those of the RomanLupercalia has been accepted uncritically and repeated, in various forms, up to the present".[20][38]
There were other three authors who made poems about birds mating in Saint Valentine's Day around the same years:Otton de Grandson from Savoy,John Gower from England, and a knight called Pardo from Valencia. Chaucer most probably predated all of them, but, due to the difficulty of dating medieval works, we can't know for sure who of the four had the idea first and influenced the others.[39]
Medieval period and the English Renaissance
Using the language of the law courts for the rituals ofcourtly love, a "High Court of Love" was probably established by princessIsabel of Bavaria in Paris in 1400. It was founded on 6 January, the festivity of a Bavarian Saint Valentin, with The Charter of the Court of Love.[40] The court dealt with love contracts, betrayals, and violence against women. Judges were selected by women on the basis of a poetry reading.[40][41][42] It was probably based on the poems of Grandson, and not on the poems of Chaucer.[40] It is possible that the actual Court never existed and that it was all an invention of the princess.[40]
The earliest surviving valentine is a 15th-centuryrondeau written byCharles, Duke of Orléans to his wife, which commences.
Je suis desja d'amour tanné
Ma tres doulce Valentinée...
—Charles d'Orléans,
Rondeau VI, lines 1–2[43]
At the time, the duke was being held in theTower of London following his capture at theBattle of Agincourt, 1415.[44]
The earliest surviving valentines in English appear to be those in the Paston Letters, written in 1477 by Margery Brewes to her future husband John Paston "my right well-beloved Valentine".[45]
Valentine's Day is mentioned ruefully by Ophelia in Hamlet (1600–1601):
To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes,
And dupp'd the chamber-door;
Let in the maid, that out a maid
Never departed more.
—William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5
John Donne used the legend of the marriage of the birds as the starting point for hisEpithalamion celebrating the marriage ofElizabeth, daughter ofJames I of England, andFrederick V, Elector Palatine on Valentine's Day:
Hayle Bishop Valentine whose day this is
All the Ayre is thy Diocese
And all the chirping Queristers
And other birds ar thy parishioners
Thou marryest every yeare
The Lyrick Lark, and the graue whispering Doue,
The Sparrow that neglects his life for loue,
The houshold bird with the redd stomacher
Thou makst the Blackbird speede as soone,
As doth the Goldfinch, or the Halcyon
The Husband Cock lookes out and soone is spedd
And meets his wife, which brings her feather-bed.
This day more cheerfully than ever shine
This day which might inflame thy selfe old Valentine.
—John Donne, Epithalamion Vpon Frederick Count Palatine and the Lady Elizabeth marryed on St. Valentines day
The verse Roses are red echoes conventions traceable as far back asEdmund Spenser's epic The Faerie Queene (1590):
She bath'd with roses red, and violets blew,
And all the sweetest flowres, that in the forrest grew.[46]
The modern cliché Valentine's Day poem can be found in the collection of English nursery rhymes Gammer Gurton's Garland (1784):
The rose is red, the violet's blue,
The honey's sweet, and so are you.
Thou art my love and I am thine;
I drew thee to my Valentine:
The lot was cast and then I drew,
And Fortune said it shou'd be you.[47][48]
Modern times
Valentine's Day postcard, circa 1910
In 1797, a British publisher issued The Young Man's Valentine Writer, which contained scores of suggested sentimentalverses for the young lover unable to compose his own. Printers had already begun producing a limited number of cards with verses and sketches, called "mechanical valentines," and areduction in postal rates in the next century ushered in the less personal but easier practice of mailing Valentines. That, in turn, made it possible for the first time to exchange cards anonymously, which is taken as the reason for the sudden appearance of racy verse in an era otherwise prudishlyVictorian.[49]
Paper Valentines became so popular in England in the early 19th century that they were assembled in factories. Fancy Valentines were made with real lace and ribbons, with paper lace introduced in the mid-19th century.[50] The reinvention of Saint Valentine's Day in the 1840s has been traced by Leigh Eric Schmidt.[51] As a writer in Graham's American Monthly observed in 1849, "Saint Valentine's Day... is becoming, nay it has become, a national holyday."[52] In the United States, the first mass-produced valentines of embossed paper lace were produced and sold shortly after 1847 byEsther Howland (1828–1904) ofWorcester, Massachusetts.[53][54]
Her father operated a large book and stationery store, but Howland took her inspiration from an English Valentine she had received from a business associate of her father.[55][56] Intrigued with the idea of making similar Valentines, Howland began her business by importing paper lace and floral decorations from England.[56][57] The English practice of sending Valentine's cards was established enough to feature as a plot device inElizabeth Gaskell's Mr. Harrison's Confessions (1851): "I burst in with my explanations: '"The valentine I know nothing about." '"It is in your handwriting", said he coldly.[58] Since 2001, the Greeting Card Association has been giving an annual "Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary."[54]
Child dressed in Valentine's Day-themed clothing.
Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.[11] In the UK, just under half of the population spend money on their Valentines and around 1.3 billion pounds are spent yearly on cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts, with an estimated 25 million cards being sent.[59] The mid-19th century Valentine's Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the United States to follow.[60]
In the second half of the 20th century, the practice of exchanging cards was extended to all manner of gifts. Such gifts typically includeroses andchocolates packed in a red satin, heart-shaped box. In the 1980s, thediamond industry began to promote Valentine's Day as an occasion for givingjewelry.
The U.S.Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately 190 million valentines are sent each year in the US. Half of those valentines are given to family members other than husband or wife, usually to children. When you include the valentine-exchange cards made in school activities the figure goes up to 1 billion, and teachers become the people receiving the most valentines.[53]
The rise of Internet popularity at the turn of the millennium is creating new traditions. Millions of people use, every year, digital means of creating and sending Valentine's Day greeting messages such ase-cards,love coupons or printable greeting cards. An estimated 15 million e-valentines were sent in 2010.[53] Valentine's Day is considered by some to be aHallmark holiday due to its commercialization.[61]
Valentine's day red roses
Antique and vintage Valentines, 1850–1950
Valentines of the mid-19th and early 20th centuries
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Esther Howland Valentine, circa 1850: "Weddings now are all the go, Will you marry me or no"?
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Handwritten poem, "To Susanna" dated Valentine's Day, 1850 (Cork, Ireland)
-
Comic Valentine, mid-19th century: "R stands for rod, which can give a smart crack, And ought to be used For a day on your back."
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Valentine card, 1862: "My dearest Miss, I send thee a kiss" addressed to Miss Jenny Lane of Crostwight Hall,
Smallburgh, Norfolk.
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Folk art Valentine and envelope dated 1875 addressed to Clara Dunn of Newfield, New Jersey
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Whitney Valentine, 1887; Howland sold her New England Valentine Company to the George C. Whitney Company in 1881
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Seascape Valentine, date unknown
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Postcards, "pop-ups", and mechanical Valentines, circa 1900–1930
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Buster Brown Valentine postcard by Richard Felton Outcault, early years of 20th century
-
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Postcard by Nister, circa 1906
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Valentine postcard, circa 1900–1910
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A tiny 2-inch pop-up Valentine, circa 1920
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Football-playing Disney-like rat and bulldog are set in motion by the pull-tab on the right, circa 1920
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A grommet affixed to the center of the card permits the dog's eyes to glance side-to-side when the blue bow is moved
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Rocking horse and rider, circa 1920–1930
Children's Valentines
-
Children's Valentine, 1940–1950
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Anthropomorphic Valentine, circa 1950–1960
Others
-
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Box of Valentine Chocolates
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Valentines Day Chocolates
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-
-
-
Similar days celebrating love
In the West
Europe
While sending cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts is traditional in the UK, Valentine's Day has various regional customs. InNorfolk, a character called 'Jack' Valentine knocks on the rear door of houses leaving sweets and presents for children. Although he was leaving treats, many children were scared of this mystical person. In Wales, many people celebrateDydd Santes Dwynwen (St Dwynwen's Day) on January 25 instead of (or as well as) Valentine's Day. The day commemoratesSt Dwynwen, the patron saint of Welsh lovers. In France, a traditionallyCatholic country, Valentine's Day is known simply as "Saint Valentin", and is celebrated in much the same way as other western countries. In Spain Valentine's Day is known as "San Valentín" and is celebrated the same way as in the UK, although inCatalonia it is largely superseded by similar festivities of rose and/or book giving onLa Diada de Sant Jordi (Saint George's Day). In Portugal it is more commonly referred to as "Dia dos Namorados" (Lover's Day / Day of those that are in love with each other).
In Denmark and Norway, although February 14 is known as Valentinsdag, it is not celebrated to a large extent, but is largely imported from American culture, and some people take time to eat a romantic dinner with their partner, to send a card to a secret love or give a red rose to their loved one. The cut-flower industry in particular is still working on promoting the holiday. In Sweden it is called Alla hjärtans dag ("All Hearts' Day") and was launched in the 1960s by the flower industry's commercial interests, and due to the influence of American culture. It is not an official holiday, but its celebration is recognized and sales of cosmetics and flowers for this holiday are only exceeded by those for Mother's Day.
In Finland Valentine's Day is called Ystävänpäivä which translates into "Friend's Day". As the name indicates, this day is more about remembering all your friends, not only your loved ones. InEstonia Valentine's Day is called Sõbrapäev, which has the same meaning.
In Slovenia, St Valentine or Zdravko was one of the saints of spring, the saint of good health and the patron of beekeepers and pilgrims.[62] A proverb says that "St Valentine brings the keys of roots". Plants and flowers start to grow on this day. It has been celebrated as the day when the first work in the vineyards and in the fields commences. It is also said that birds propose to each other or marry on that day. Another proverb says "Valentin – prvi spomladin" ("Valentine — the first spring saint"), as in some places (especiallyWhite Carniola), Saint Valentine marks the beginning of spring.[63] Valentine's Day has only recently been celebrated as the day of love. The day of love was traditionally March 12, theSaint Gregory's day, or February 22,Saint Vincent's Day. The patron of love wasSaint Anthony, whose day has been celebrated on 13 June.[62]
In Romania, the traditional holiday for lovers isDragobete, which is celebrated on February 24. It is named after a character from Romanian folklore who was supposed to be the son ofBaba Dochia. Part of his name is the word drag ("dear"), which can also be found in the word dragoste ("love"). In recent years, Romania has also started celebrating Valentine's Day, despite already having Dragobete as a traditional holiday. This has drawn backlash from several groups, institutions[64] and nationalist organizations likeNoua Dreaptǎ, who condemn Valentine's Day for being superficial, commercialist and imported Westernkitsch.
Valentine's Day is called Ημέρα του Αγίου Βαλεντίνου in Greece andCyprus, which translates into "St Valentines day". In the Orthodox church there is another Saint[which?] to protect people who are in love, but for Greeks Valentine's Day is more popular.
For the Jewish tradition, see Israel on other section.
Latin America
The Heart of the
Milky Way, for Valentine's Day
In some Latin American countries Valentine's Day is known as "Día del Amor y la Amistad" (Day of Love and Friendship). For exampleColombia,[citation needed]Costa Rica,[65]Dominican Republic,[citation needed]Ecuador,[66]Mexico,[67] and Puerto Rico, as well as others. It is also common to see people perform "acts of appreciation" for their friends.
In Guatemala it is known as the "Día del Cariño" (Affection Day).[68]
In Brazil, the Dia dos Namorados (lit. "Lovers' Day", or "Boyfriends'/Girlfriends' Day") is celebrated on June 12, probably because it is the day beforeSaint Anthony's day, known there as the marriage saint,[69] when traditionally many single women perform popular rituals, called simpatias, in order to find a good husband or boyfriend. Couples exchange gifts, chocolates, cards and flower bouquets. The February 14's Valentine's Day is not celebrated at all because it usually falls too little before or after theBrazilian Carnival[70] — that can fall anywhere from early February to early March and lasts almost a week. Because of the absence of Valentine's Day and the celebrations of the Carnivals, Brazil is a popular tourist spot during February for Western singles to get away from the holiday.[71]
In Venezuela, in 2009, PresidentHugo Chávez said in a meeting to his supporters for the upcoming referendum vote on February 15, that "since on the 14th, there will be no time of doing nothing, nothing or next to nothing ... maybe a little kiss or something very superficial", he recommended people to celebrate a week of love after the referendum vote.[72]
In most of Latin America the Día del amor y la amistad and the Amigo secreto ("Secret friend") are quite popular and usually celebrated together on the 14 of February (one exception isColombia, where it is celebrated every third Saturday of September). The latter consists of randomly assigning to each participant a recipient who is to be given an anonymous gift (similar to theChristmas tradition ofSecret Santa).
East Asia
Tree at Valentine's Day with hearts
Due to a concentrated marketing effort, Valentine's Day is celebrated in some Asian countries withSingaporeans,Chinese andSouth Koreans spending the most money on Valentine's gifts.[73]
In South Korea, similar toJapan, women give chocolate to men on February 14, and men give non-chocolate candy to women on March 14 (White Day). On April 14 (Black Day), those who did not receive anything on 14 February or March go to a Korean restaurant to eat black noodles (자장면 jajangmyeon) and "mourn" their single life.[74] Koreans also celebratePepero Day on November 11, when young couples give each other Pepero cookies. The date '11/11' is intended to resemble the long shape of the cookie. The 14th of every month marks a love-related day in Korea, although most of them are obscure. From January to December: Candle Day, Valentine's Day, White Day,Black Day, Rose Day, Kiss Day, Silver Day, Green Day, Music Day, Wine Day, Movie Day, and Hug Day.[75] Korean women give a much higher amount of chocolate than Japanese women.[74]
In China, the common situation is the man giveschocolate, flowers or both to the woman that he loves. In Chinese, Valentine's Day is called (simplified Chinese: 情人节;traditional Chinese: 情人節;pinyin: qíng rén jié). The so-called "Chinese Valentine's Day" is theQixi Festival, celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. It commemorates a day on which a legendary cowherder and weaving maid are allowed to be together. Valentine's Day on February 14 is not celebrated because it is often too close toChinese New Year, which usually falls on a February or January.
InTaiwan the situation is the reverse of Japan's. Men give gifts to women on Valentine's Day, and women return them onWhite Day.[74]
In the Philippines, Valentine's Day is called "Araw ng mga Puso" or "Hearts Day". It is usually marked by a steep increase in the prices of flowers.
Japan
In Japan,Morozoff Ltd. introduced the holiday for the first time in 1936, when it ran an advertisement aimed at foreigners. Later in 1953 it began promoting the giving of heart-shaped chocolates; other Japanese confectionery companies followed suit thereafter. In 1958 theIsetandepartment store ran a "Valentine sale". Further campaigns during the 1960s popularized the custom.[76][77]
The custom that only women give chocolates to men appears to have originated from the translation error of a chocolate-company executive during the initial campaigns.[78][citation needed] In particular,office ladies give chocolate to their co-workers. Unlike western countries, gifts such as greeting cards,[78] candies, flowers, or dinner dates[74] are uncommon, and most of the activity about the gifts is about giving the right amount of chocolate to each person.[78] Japanese chocolate companies make half their annual sales during this time of the year.[78]
Many women feel obliged to give chocolates to all male co-workers, except when the day falls on a Sunday, a holiday. This is known as giri-choko (義理チョコ), from giri ("obligation") and choko, ("chocolate"), with unpopular co-workers receiving only "ultra-obligatory" chō-giri choko cheap chocolate. This contrasts with honmei-choko (本命チョコ, favorite chocolate), chocolate given to a loved one. Friends, especially girls, may exchange chocolate referred to as tomo-choko (友チョコ); from tomo meaning "friend".[79]
In the 1980s the Japanese National Confectionery Industry Association launched a successful campaign to make March 14 a "reply day", where men are expected to return the favour to those who gave them chocolates on Valentine's Day, calling itWhite Day for the color of the chocolates being offered. A previous failed attempt to popularize this celebration had been done by amarshmallow manufacturer who wanted men to return marshmallows to women.[76][77]
Men are expected to return gifts that are at least two or three times more valuable than the gifts received in Valentine's Day. Not returning the gift is perceived as the man placing himself in a position of superiority, even if excuses are given. Returning a present of equal value is considered as a way to say that you are cutting the relationship. Originally only chocolate was given, but now the gifts of jewelry, accessories, clothing and lingerie are usual. According to the official website of White Day, the color white was chosen because it's the color of purity, evoking "pure, sweet teen love", and because it's also the color of sugar. The initial name was "Ai ni Kotaeru White Day" (Answer Love on White Day).[76][77]
In Japan, the romantic "date night" associated to Valentine's Day is celebrated onChristmas Eve.[80]
In a 2006 survey of people between 10 and 49 years of age in Japan,Oricon Style found the 1986Sayuri Kokushōsingle, Valentine Kiss, to be the most popular Valentine's Day song, even though it sold only 317,000 copies.[81] The singles it beat in the ranking were number one selling Love Love Love fromDreams Come True (2,488,630 copies) and Valentine's Radio fromYumi Matsutoya (1,606,780 copies). The final song in the top five was My Funny Valentine byMiles Davis.[81]
Similar Asian traditions
InChinese culture, there is an older observance related to lovers, called "The Night of Sevens" (Chinese:七夕;pinyin: Qi Xi). According to the legend, theCowherd star and the Weaver Maid star are normally separated by theMilky Way (silvery river) but are allowed to meet by crossing it on the 7th day of the 7th month of theChinese calendar.
In Japan, a slightly different version of 七夕 calledTanabata has been celebrated for centuries, on July 7 (Gregorian calendar).[82] It has been considered by Westerners as similar to St. Valentine's Day,[83] but it's not related to it, and its origins are completely different.
India
In India, in the antiquity, there was a tradition of adoringKamadeva, the lord of love; exemplificated by the erotic carvings in theKhajuraho Group of Monuments and by the writing of theKamasutra treaty of lovemaking.[84] This tradition was lost around the Middle Ages, when Kamadeva was no longer celebrated, and public displays of sexual affections became frowned upon.[84] The festival of Rasa (Rasa Utsav), a celebration ofRadha andKrishna's legendary love affair; once popular in the Eastern part of the subcontinent (Bengal and Odisha) is also noteworthy in this context; though at present times this is observed by a small number of people. In the state of West Bengal,Saraswati Puja, a festival observed in early spring whereSaraswati, the goddess of learning is worshiped; has often been seen as aBengali version of Valentine's day; especially among the urban middle class youth. Around 1992, Valentine's Day celebrations started catching up in India, with special TV and radio programs, and even love letter competitions.[84][85] The economic liberalization also helped the Valentine card industry.[85]
In modern times, Hindu and Islamic[86] traditionalists consider the holiday to be cultural contamination from the West, result of the globalization in India.[84][85]Shiv Sena and theSangh Parivar have asked their followers to shun the holiday and the "public admission of love" because of them being "alien to Indian culture".[87] Although these protests are organized by political elites, the protesters themselves are middle-class Hindu men who fear that the globalization will destroy the traditions in their society:arranged marriages,Hindu joint families,full-time mothers, etc.[85][86]
Despite these obstacles, Valentine's Day is becoming increasingly popular in India.[88]
However, Valentine's Day has been strongly criticized from apostcolonial perspective by intellectuals from the Indian left. The holiday is regarded as a front forWesternimperialism,neocolonialism, and the exploitation of working classes throughcommercialism bymultinational corporations.[89] Studies have shown that Valentine's Day promotes and exacerbatesincome inequality in India, and aids in the creation of a pseudo-westernizedmiddle class. As a result, theworking classes andrural poor become more disconnected socially, politically, and geographically from the hegemoniccapitalist power structure. They also criticize mainstream media attacks on Indians opposed to Valentine's Day as a form ofdemonization that is designed and derived to further the Valentine's Day agenda.[90][91] Right wing Hindu nationalists are also hostile. In February 2012Subash Chouhan of theBajrang Dal warned couples that "They cannot kiss or hug in public places. Our activists will beat them up".[92] He said "We are not against love, but we criticize vulgar exhibition of love at public places".[93]
Guru Asaram Bapu says the modern holiday corrupts young people and breaks the nation's backbone. He says that young people look at each other with lust before they are married. He says that the dissipation of their sexual energy weakens their eyesight, intellect and their future. He calls for celebrating instead a "Love Day", and sublimated those feelings into honouring our parents. Bapu states that "Those who celebrate Valentine’s Day’ are only degrading Saint Valentine, as by sending the valentine’s card they try to develop a licentious relationship with their beloveds even before marriage. Had this been agreeable to Valentine, he would not have arranged for the marriages."[94]
Middle East
In Iran, theSepandarmazgan, or Esfandegan, is a festival where people express love towards their mothers and wives, and also a celebration of earth in ancient Persian culture. It has nothing in common with the Saint Valentine celebration, except for a superficial similarity in giving affection and gifts to loved ones, and its origins and motivations are completely unrelated. It has been progressively forgotten in favor of the Western celebration of Valentine's Day. The Association of Iran's Cultural and Natural Phenomena has been trying since 2006 to make Sepandarmazgan a national holiday on 17 February, in order to replace the Western holiday.[95]
In Israel, the Jewish tradition ofTu B'Av has been revived and transformed into the Jewish equivalent of Valentine's Day. It's celebrated in 15th day of the month ofAv (usually late August). In ancient times girls would wear white dresses and dance in the vineyards, where the boys would be waiting for them (Mishna Taanith end of Chapter 4). Today, this is celebrated as a second holiday of love by secular people (besides Saint Valentine's Day), and shares many of the customs associated with Saint Valentine's Day in western societies. In modern Israeli culture this is a popular day to pronounce love, propose marriage and give gifts like cards or flowers.[96]
Conflict with Islamic countries and political parties
Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, in 2002 and 2011,religious police banned the sale of all Valentine's Day items, telling shop workers to remove any red items, as the day is considered a Christian holiday.[97][98] In 2008 this ban created ablack market of roses andwrapping paper.[98]
Pakistan
The concept of Valentine's Day was introduced in Pakistan during the late 1990s with special TV and radio programs. TheJamaat-e-Islami political party has called for the banning of Valentine's Day celebration.[88] Despite this, the celebration is becoming popular among urban youth and the florists expect to sell great amount of flowers, especially red roses. Same is the case with card publishers.[99] However, public at large still consider Valentine's Day as opposed to Pakistani culture and Islamic teachings.[citation needed]
Iran
In the first part of the 21st century, the celebration of Valentine's Day inIran has been harshly criticized by Islamic Teachers who see the celebrations as opposed to Islamic culture. In 2011, the Iranian printing works owners' union issued a directive banning the printing and distribution of any goods promoting the holiday, includingcards, gifts and teddy bears. "Printing and producing any goods related to this day including posters, boxes and cards emblazoned with hearts or half-hearts, redroses and any activities promoting this day are banned... Outlets that violate this will be legally dealt with", the union warned.[100][101]
Malaysia
Islamic officials inMalaysia warned Muslims against celebrating Valentine's Day, linking it with vice activities. Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the celebration of romantic love was "not suitable" for Muslims. Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz, head of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), which oversees the country's Islamic policies said afatwa (ruling) issued by the country's top clerics in 2005 noted the day 'is associated with elements of Christianity,' and 'we just cannot get involved with other religion's worshipping rituals.' Jakim officials planned to carry out a nationwide campaign called "Awas Jerat Valentine's Day" ("Mind the Valentine's Day Trap"), aimed at preventing Muslims from celebrating the day on 14 February 2011. Activities include conducting raids in hotels to stop young couples from having unlawful sex and distributing leaflets to Muslim university students warning them against the day.[102][103]
On Valentine's Day 2011, Malaysian religious authorities arrested more than 100 Muslim couples concerning the celebration ban. Some of them would be charged in the Shariah Court for defying the department's ban against the celebration of Valentine's Day.[104]
