South Korea. This has largely been achieved not through religious tradition, but through marketing and commercialisation, and it is of little surprise that Asians tend to spend far more on average when it comes to Valentine’s gifts than anywhere else.
Japan has developed yet another variation on the theme of Valentine’s Day, with women being expected to give chocolates to all of the men they work with. The favour is then returned a month later with another variation of Valentine’s Day being celebrated on March 14th, though this time it is the turn of the men to give chocolate to all of the women who gave them chocolate the previous month. More recently chocolate has been replaced with other less unhealthy alternatives, such as jewellery and even lingerie.
Another month later, on April 14th, a third variation is to be witnessed in South Korea, where a similar tradition to Japan has taken place in February and March, but in April anyone was unlucky enough not to receive anything in either February or March goes to a restaurant to eat Chinese black noodles, as a way of mourning their single status! South Korea is perhaps where the concept of Valentines has been embraced most widely, with the 14th of every month of the year having some love related significance.
So from pagan feast, to a religious celebration of a Christian martyr, to an international day when love and friendship are celebrated in style, Valentine’s Day reminds us that spring is just around the corner, good things are starting to happen, the world is becoming a warmer place, and romantic ideas blossom as optimistically as the cherry trees under which misty eyed lovers ponder their fortunes. Love may not make the world go round, but it at least