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The Valentine’s Day tradition is naturally not as old as love itself but it’s not far off! Valentinus was a Christian martyr in whose honour a feast day was set on 14 February in the fifth century. However, the tradition with gifts was first introduced in the Middle Ages to express courtly love.

So anyone who still associates Valentine’s Day with a purely commercial holiday should see the day as a day of pure and idealistic romanticism now at the latest.

Valentine was a saint in Christendom, which is why the 14 February is mainly celebrated in Europe as well as in North and South America. The day is also honoured in Japan, South Korea, China and Singapore though. 

Would you perhaps like to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Japanese or Korean style this year? Then the women should give their men chocolate or a small gift on 14 February and in return they receive sweets but not chocolate from their loved ones exactly a month later, on so-called White Day. Singles can also make Valentine’s Day into something special in parts of Asia though: anyone who hasn’t received any gifts in the months before, goes to a restaurant with their friends on 14 April, Black Day, and orders black noodles.

There are various theories on how the tradition of Valentine’s Day came about. One popular story tells of how St. Valentine wed couples as a priest in the 3rd century, even though this was forbidden by Emperor Claudius II. It was said that the marriages St. Valentine presided over were very auspicious, which quickly led to him becoming known as the patron saint of love. After the wedding, it’s said that he would give the newlyweds flowers from his garden. Maybe this is the reason there are gifts given on Valentine’s Day. It’s said that the tradition of giving flowers and greeting cards on Valentine’s Day was introduced and made popular by the English author Samuel Pepys and his wife. Pepys is said to have sent his wife a love letter and a bouquet of flowers on Valentine’s Day. Subsequently, florists and confectionary makers later promoted the popularity of Valentine’s Day as the day of love with substantial advertising and special offers. These days, besides flowers and sweets, small gifts with sentimental value continue to be popular gifts for Valentine’s Day.

Americans are known to avidly celebrate Valentine’s Day. In the US, the 14th of February is an especially important day for adolescents. Americans give each other greeting cards with short poems or words of love to people they especially hold dear. These short messages aren’t necessarily only given to romantic interests, but also to best friends. The number of Valentine’s Day cards received as well as the messages they contain reflect the popularity of the recipient. Thus, for young Americans, an empty letterbox on the 14th of February can be a real disappointment. Of course, in the US new couples and newlyweds also exchange gifts on Valentine’s Day. Just as everywhere else, flowers and chocolate are typical Valentine’s Day gifts. If a partner forgets this important day, it can quickly lead to some drama in the relationship.

According to a survey carried out in 2016 by Statista, flowers are the most popular gift to give on Valentine’s Day in all regions of Switzerland. The German-speaking Swiss, especially, like to give their partner a beautiful bouquet of flowers and only about 20% give their partners sweets or a romantic candlelight dinner for Valentine’s Day. Completely different in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland: here, about half of the people like to give someone a special treat for Valentine’s Day. The French-speaking Swiss also like to give their special someone flowers and treats and about 11% also like to surprise their sweetheart with lingerie. Whether flowers or tasty treats – for most couples, personal gifts make the best surprises for Valentine’s Day. This is a reason why many people like to compliment their bouquet of flowers or box of chocolates with memorable photos or lovely photo gifts to really express their feelings on this especially romantic day.