Valentines Day

By Elizabeth Gregory

So, most of us that have that special Valentine in our lives are making big plans for tonight. Although a recent poll suggested that the majority of Americans find Valentine's Day to be more of a "Hallmark holiday" than anything else, flowers and chocolates are flying off the shelves and the better restaurants have been booked for days.

Knowing how the holiday is celebrated here in the US made me curious to know how other countries celebrate the day. I found a great website that lists traditions from countries all over the globe: Nova Reinna. I like Japan's the best, which I've pasted in below. Enjoy.

In Japan, Valentine's Day is celebrated on two different dates...February 14 and March 14. On the first date, the female gives a gift to the male and on the second date...known as White Day and supposedly introduced by a marshmallow company in the 1960s...the male has to return the gift he received on February 14. Thus, strictly speaking, a Japanese female has the luxury of actually choosing her own gift. Chocolate is the most popular gift in Japan. However, since most Japanese females believe that store-bought chocolate is not a gift of true love, they tend to make the confection with their own hands.