JSランゲージスクールブログ | Valentine's Day
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Hello Everyone!
Since it is February, I thought I would talk about Valentine's Day and the difference between celebrating it in the United States (my home country) and in Japan. Valentine's Day is celebrated in both countries, and in both countries it’s a holiday for mainly lovers. However, there are some pretty big differences.
In the United States, on February 14th it is mainly boyfriends who give the gifts. Women are not really expected to buy things for their boyfriends or make chocolate for their close friends or coworkers. They basically get a free pass. However, men on the other hand, are expected to buy things like flowers (mainly roses), chocolates, stuffed animals, or if you have been together for a while, even diamonds. If a boyfriend (or husband) does not get something for his significant other on Valentine’s Day, he will probably be in trouble!
In Japan, the culture surrounding Valentine’s Day is very different. Women are the only ones giving gifts. I have noticed that it is only chocolate given on Valentine's Day in Japan and usually no other kinds of gifts. Women are also expected to make chocolate for their boyfriends, not buy it. I think this takes a lot of work! Women also make chocolate for their male coworkers or friends, to show their appreciation to these people. It was really interesting to see all of the chocolate-making supplies when I went grocery shopping! I was also surprised when I saw so many different kinds of Pocky in the stores around Valentine's Day. There was Pocky labeled for lovers, friends, thank you Pocky, etc. This is something that we cannot see in the United States.
Also in Japan, on March 14th, the men have to return the gesture of giving chocolate to their girlfriends. This is called White Day. In the United States, there is no White Day. We only have one day a year for couples.
Overall, I think it is very interesting to see how two countries celebrate the same holiday, but in different ways. I think there are good things about each country's way of celebrating. I hope you guys could learn something from this!
