Valentine’s Day Tradition Around the World

For many people, Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day of the year. This is the time when people profess love and buy gifts, such as roses and chocolates for their love ones. However, traditions for this festival vary from place to place due to cultural differences. Below are the eleven countries with their own unique traditions on February 14th. Enjoy!

1. Japan

Women search for “giri” (obligation) chocolates and “honmei” (true love) chocolates for their friends and their special ones in stores.

By: Shannon Liu

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2. EstoniaOn Valentine’s Day, also called Friend’s Day in Estonia, two friends celebrated this day together alone in Estonia.

3. Saudi Arabia

People burn posters about Valentine’s Day since, in Saudi Arabia, this holiday is banned.

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4.Germany

German couples hang gingerbread heart cookies in their homes to celebrate “Valentinstag”, or Valentine’s Day.

5. Iran

People decorate red apples with cloves, which represent Adam and Eve’s story, for their partners to show their love.

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6. Italy

In Verona, the birthplace of Romeo and Juliet, people participate a number of events, including contests for the best love letter, and other Shakespeare-themed activities.

7. Taiwan

Residents write their hope and messages on heart-shaped paper lanterns and release them at night on Valentine’s Day.

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8. Wales

The Welsh buy love-spoons, carved and decorated by symbols by men, from the markets to their significant other to celebrate Valentine’s Day, also called St. Dwynwen’s Day.

9. United States As a popular festival, couples in the United States celebrate Valentine’s Day by buying each other heart-shaped chocolate boxes with red ribbons and red roses.

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10. Korea

Similar with Japan, women swarm in department stores to buy chocolates for men on Valentine’s Day. (Singles go to restaurants to eat black noodles to express their loneliness on April 14, the Black Day.)

11. France (Special)France, the most romantic country in the world, had a weird tradition. The old tradition, “une loterie d’amour”, or drawing for love, of Valentine’s Day in France is very unique. Single men and women would fill houses and face each other, searching for people to pair with. If the man didn’t like his pair, he would leave the woman for another man to call. The women that didn’t get matched up build a bonfire in which they burn images of those men and curse at them. The French government officially banned this tradition because this practice usually ended with chaos.

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Editor in Chief: Henry Ko (10) Assistant Editor in Chief: Hsuan Hsuan Chang (10) Secretary: Chloe Hsueh (10) Staff Supervisor: Jennifer Joseph Writers: Eric Chuan (12), Henry Ko (10), Ho Hsuan Hsieh (10), Hsuan Hsuan Chang (10), Chloe Hsueh (10), Shannon Liu (10), Jessica Chen (10), Angel Chang (10) Photographers & Designer: Joseph Chen (10), Shannon Liu (10), Chloe Hsueh (10), Ruby Wu (10), Shawn Lin (10)

2015In association with the HIS Bamboo Times Newspaper

Than

ks!

Thanks for reading the new Bamboo Magazine issue!

Quote of the Month: !“THERE ARE NO TWO WORDS MORE HARMFUL THAN 'GOOD JOB’"

- Terence Fletcher

Editor’s Note: Thank you all for reading this new

November issue of the Magazine Team! We

understand that this issue was published a

little late, however, we hope that it was

worth the wait. Also, I personally hope that

you liked this issue a lot as we made a great

turn into more realistic Magazine writing. As

this issue was about Valentine’s Day, we

hope it drew many of your attention! If you

have any comments, including ideas towards

our next issue, feel free to contact us! Thanks

again!

Acknowledgements: Thank you Mrs. Joseph for

supervising us and helping us

proofread as well!

!Thank you Daphne for supporting the

formation of the group!

!Thank you Eric Chuan for Rushing

into aid for another article!