Here’s a Flowerbee Hong Kong Flower Shop guide on how Valentine's Day is celebrated in different countries around the world:
| Country | Celebration Details |
|---|---|
| United States | Couples exchange chocolates, flowers, and gifts. Romantic dinners and proposals are common. School children exchange Valentine's cards. |
| United Kingdom | Traditional love letters and cards are popular. Some believe in the legend of St. Valentine, where single women pin bay leaves to their pillows to dream of their future husbands. |
| France | Paris, the "City of Love," is a major romantic destination. Couples exchange gifts, flowers, and love letters. |
| Italy | Valentine's Day was historically known as "La Festa degli Innamorati." Couples give chocolates, and Verona (home of Romeo & Juliet) hosts special events. |
| Germany | Valentine's Day is not as commercialized. Couples exchange flowers, chocolates, and sometimes pigs (symbolizing luck and love). |
| South Korea | Women give chocolates to men on February 14. Men return the favor on March 14 ("White Day"). Singles mourn on April 14 ("Black Day") by eating black noodles. |
| Japan | Similar to South Korea, women give chocolates to men on Valentine's Day. There are two types of chocolates: "Giri-choco" (obligatory) and "Honmei-choco" (romantic). Men reciprocate on White Day. |
| China | The "Qixi Festival" (Chinese Valentine's Day) is celebrated in August. However, Western Valentine's Day is gaining popularity, with couples exchanging gifts. |
| Brazil | Valentine's Day is celebrated on June 12 as "Dia dos Namorados," with romantic dinners, gifts, and celebrations. |
| Denmark | People exchange "Gaekkebrev" (funny love poems) and white flowers (snowdrops) instead of roses. |
| Finland & Estonia | February 14 is "Friendship Day" (Ystävänpäivä in Finland, Sõbrapäev in Estonia), where people celebrate all kinds of love, including friendships. |
| South Africa | Women traditionally pin the names of their crushes on their sleeves, following an ancient Roman festival tradition. |
| Philippines | Mass wedding ceremonies are popular, where thousands of couples get married together. |
| Mexico | Known as "Día del Amor y la Amistad" (Day of Love and Friendship), it celebrates both romantic and platonic love with gifts and parties. |
| Saudi Arabia | Public celebrations were previously banned, but attitudes have been shifting, and some now celebrate discreetly with flowers and gifts. |
| Taiwan | Valentine's Day and White Day are both celebrated, but with a twist—men give gifts on Valentine's Day, and women reciprocate on White Day. |
