Sleeps Before Valentine's: Counting Down The Days

Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and for those eagerly awaiting its arrival, there are only a few sleeps left! Falling on the 14th of February each year, Valentine's Day is a global celebration of romantic love. With just 10 to 13 sleeps left until the big day in 2025, it's time to start planning how you'll honour your loved ones. Whether you're exchanging cards, chocolates, or gifts, the countdown is on to make this Valentine's Day one to remember!

Valentine's Day is celebrated annually on February 14

The annual celebration of love and romance has its roots in the Western Christian feast day honouring Saint Valentine, a martyr in early Christian history. According to legend, Saint Valentine secretly married couples, defying the Roman emperor's orders, which ultimately led to his execution. Over time, the holiday has taken on a more secular form, focusing on the broader celebration of romance and affection.

Common symbols associated with Valentine's Day include hearts, roses, and Cupid. The heart, a universal symbol of love and affection, is often seen adorning greeting cards and gifts. Roses, a classic symbol of passion and romance, are exchanged between lovers. Cupid, the Roman god of love, is often depicted with a bow and arrow, ready to strike and spread love.

The tradition of exchanging love notes and cards on Valentine's Day dates back to the Middle Ages. Today, this tradition continues with greeting cards featuring romantic verses and imagery. Valentine's Day often involves romantic gestures such as candlelit dinners, personalised gifts, and surprise outings.

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, many are preparing to celebrate their loved ones. Whether you love it or find it overrated, Valentine's Day is a reminder to cherish those special connections in our lives.

It's a global holiday that celebrates romantic love

Valentine's Day is almost here! In fact, depending on when you're reading this, there are likely just single-digit sleeps until the big day. But what is all the fuss about? Well, Valentine's Day, which falls annually on February 14th, is a global holiday that celebrates romantic love.

The holiday has its roots in the Western Christian feast day honouring Saint Valentine but has since evolved into a secular celebration of romance and affection observed in almost all countries worldwide. It is named after Saint Valentine, a martyr in early Christian history, who, according to legend, secretly married couples in defiance of a Roman emperor's orders, leading to his execution.

Common symbols of Valentine's Day include hearts, which symbolise love and affection, roses, which represent passion and romance, and Cupid, the Roman god of love, often depicted with a bow and arrow. People celebrate the day by exchanging cards, chocolates, and gifts with their loved ones, and often plan romantic gestures such as candlelit dinners or surprise outings.

Different countries have unique ways of celebrating Valentine's Day. For example, in Japan, women traditionally give chocolates to men, while in Finland, the day is called "Friend's Day" and the focus is on celebrating friendship. Whether you love it or think it's overrated, Valentine's Day is a day dedicated to celebrating love and romance on a global scale. So, if you're planning to express your love to someone special this Valentine's Day, remember that you're taking part in a worldwide tradition!

It originated as a Western Christian feast honouring Saint Valentine

Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on 14 February. It originated as a Western Christian feast honouring Saint Valentine, a martyr in early Christian history.

The Catholic Church recognises at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers and outlawed marriage for young men, Valentine continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Another legend suggests that Valentine was killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often tortured and beaten. According to this story, Valentine sent the first "valentine" greeting himself after falling in love with a young girl, possibly his jailer's daughter, who visited him during his imprisonment. Before his death, he allegedly wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine", a phrase that is still in use today.

The true identity of Saint Valentine and the veracity of these legends are shrouded in mystery. However, by the Middle Ages, Valentine had become one of the most popular saints in England and France, and his appeal as a heroic, sympathetic, and romantic figure has endured.

Common symbols include hearts, roses, and Cupid

Valentine's Day is a global holiday that traditionally celebrates romantic love. Common symbols of Valentine's Day include hearts, roses, and Cupid.

Hearts are a universal symbol of love and affection, and it is no surprise that they are closely associated with Valentine's Day. The heart shape, often depicted in shades of red and pink, has become synonymous with the holiday, adorning cards, gifts, and decorations.

Roses, too, have a long history with Valentine's Day. With their vibrant colours, sweet fragrance, and symbolic meanings, roses have become the quintessential Valentine's Day flower. Red roses, in particular, represent romance and passionate love, making them a classic expression of affection on this day. However, roses come in a variety of colours, each with its own unique meaning. Pink roses symbolise a sweeter type of love, admiration, and happiness, while white roses convey pure and true love. Purple and yellow roses are also popular choices, perfect for celebrating new love or friendship.

Finally, Cupid, the cherubic embodiment of desire, is often depicted on Valentine's Day cards and gifts. Originally known as Eros in Greek mythology, Cupid is a magical child who flies around with a bow and arrow, shooting at people to make them fall in love. This character has evolved over time, from a powerful and handsome young man in Greek literature to the playful and mischievous child often portrayed in modern culture.

These symbols have become integral to the celebration of Valentine's Day, enhancing the romantic atmosphere and serving as a reminder of love and affection.

Different countries celebrate Valentine's Day in unique ways

There are only a few days left until Valentine's Day 2025! While the holiday is celebrated almost everywhere, different countries have different Valentine's Day traditions. Here are some unique ways that various countries celebrate Valentine's Day:

Argentina

Argentinians are so passionate that they set aside a week in July called "Sweetness Week", during which lovers and friends exchange candies, kisses, and good cheer.

Brazil

Brazilians celebrate "Dia dos Namorados" ("Lovers' Day") on June 12th. Couples exchange gifts, cards, and candy, and there are regional festivals and parades.

Bulgaria

Bulgarians celebrate "San Trifon Zarezan" or "winemakers' day" on February 14th, so they share glasses of local wine.

Chile

Chileans go all out for Valentine's Day, decorating shops, malls, and streets with balloons and flowers. They give the typical gifts of flowers, chocolates, and cards, but also aren't afraid of bigger gestures, including jewellery and surprise travel plans.

China

China's Valentine's-adjacent holiday is the Qixi Festival, celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. Couples exchange gifts and go on dates, and some women practice weaving and carving intricate designs on melon skins to bring good health.

Colombia and Guatemala

In these South and Central American countries, Valentine's Day is called the "Day of Love and Friendship", and is much less romantic. Friends give anonymous gifts, and Guatemala City residents partake in a parade for senior citizens while wearing bright colours and traditional Maya garb.

Czech Republic

Young couples in the Czech Republic make a pilgrimage to the statue of a famous Czech poet, which stands near a grove of cherry trees, under which the lovers kiss for good luck.

Denmark, Finland, and Estonia

These Scandinavian countries put a twist on the holiday, as friends and lovers exchange "lover's cards". Some give handmade cards with pressed white flowers, called snowdrops, while others give anonymous "joke letters" called "gaekkebrev", containing a funny poem or rhyme. If the recipient guesses the sender, she earns an Easter egg from the sender later in the year. In Estonia, February 14th is called "Sobrapaev", or "Friendship Day", and is a day to celebrate all kinds of friendships.

England

Valentine's Day traditions vary across England, but one common occurrence is the singing of special songs by children, for which they are rewarded with candy, fruit, or money. Many English people also bake valentine buns with plums, raisins, or caraway seeds, harkening back to a celebration of a good harvest. In Norfolk, many people celebrate with gifts from "Jack Valentine", a Santa Claus-type figure that leaves gifts on the front porch.

France

French couples exchange letters and cards, a tradition that was started in the 15th century when the imprisoned Duke of Orleans wrote a poem to his lover and called her "my valentine".

Germany

In Germany, the symbol for luck and lust is a pig! Lovers exchange pig-shaped gifts, including statues and stuffed toys, as well as heart-shaped ginger cookies with love messages written in icing.

Ghana

February 14th is National Chocolate Day in Ghana, an initiative introduced by the government in 2007 to shed light on the country's position as one of the world's largest producers of cocoa. Ghana holds concerts and performances, and restaurants offer special chocolate-themed menus.

Italy

Couples in Italy give each other gifts like "baci perugina", a small box of hazelnut-filled chocolate kisses. Each candy has a small love note inside written in five different languages.

Japan

In Japan, Valentine's Day is a day for women to express their love and appreciation to men by giving them chocolates. There are two types of chocolates: "giri-choco", for friends, colleagues, or acquaintances, and "honmei-choco", a romantic gesture. The receiver is expected to reciprocate their feelings on March 14th, or "White Day".

Mexico

Mexicans don't distinguish between romantic and platonic love on February 14th—it's the Day of Love and Friendship, where people exchange flowers, stuffed animals, balloons, and cards.

Philippines

For over a decade, the Philippines government has been sponsoring mass Valentine's Day marriage ceremonies for dozens (or hundreds) of couples at a time.

Romania

Romanians celebrate Valentine's Day on February 24th. Young couples pick wildflowers and wash their faces in snow to prepare for spring, and many lovers use this day to propose.

South Africa

On Valentine's Day, South Africans exchange gifts like chocolate, teddy bears, and flowers. One unique custom is for women to wear brightly coloured dresses.

South Korea

South Koreans enjoy Western traditions of flowers and gifts, as well as the Japanese custom of women giving men chocolates and men returning the favour on "White Day". For singles, April 14th is "Black Day", when people gather to commiserate over jajangmyeon, a noodle dish topped with a black sauce.

Taiwan

Twice a year, on February 14th and July 7th, men in Taiwan give elaborate bouquets to their loved ones, with the colour and number of flowers representing an important message. For example, 108 roses mean "will you marry me?".

Thailand

Thai couples give each other gifts, release birds or fish as a symbol of love, and many choose to get married or propose on Valentine's Day. Some adventurous couples even take part in skydiving or bungee jumping

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