Verona, Italy - Cradle of Romance

The way Italians celebrate Valentine's Day is not much different from other cultures with dates, chocolates, gifts, etc. However, in the city of Verona - the place associated with the classic love story of Romeo and Juliet, the Valentine's atmosphere is hotter than ever.

“In 2018, I had the opportunity to visit Verona in February, near Valentine's Day. At the Verona arena, they showed the play Romeo & Juliet for everyone to enjoy. The central square was also shaped like a giant heart, with souvenirs, food, and heart-shaped chocolates everywhere. But the area that attracted the most people was probably Juliet's house, with love locks, Juliet statues, and messages that couples wrote on the wall. Many people even told each other that if you come here and touch Juliet's left breast, you will have good luck in love" - ​​Le Thuy - currently living in Germany shared.

In addition, because it is known as the “city of love”, every year, thousands of love letters are sent to Verona for Juliet. These letters are answered by a group of volunteers in the Juliet Club. And on Valentine's Day, this club awards the “Dear Juliet” (Cara Giulietta) prize for the most touching letter.

In each place in the world, depending on preferences and culture, people have different ways to celebrate Valentine's Day. Whether it is a romantic candlelight dinner, or experiencing special things together, or celebrating with family and friends, Valentine is an occasion of connection and love.

Denmark - Unique gifts

Although Valentine’s Day has only been popular in Denmark for the past three decades, the people of this country have created their own version of Valentine’s Day. While roses seem to have become an irreplaceable symbol of love, Denmark goes against the grain by choosing snowdrops as gifts. As the name suggests, the flower has a pure white color, reminiscent of fragile snowflakes.

Not only do flowers stand out in Denmark, but the way Valentine’s Day is celebrated is also marked by the gifts. “Gaekkebrev”, or “joke letters”, are exchanged on this romantic holiday. Physically, they are written on elaborately cut pieces of paper with intricate decorations, and the “joke” element lies in the way the sender signs his name on them.

Instead of writing their names, they use dots. Each dot represents a letter in their name, and the recipient has to guess who the letter is from. If the answer is correct, the sender gets to send the recipient Easter candy. If the recipient guesses wrong, they owe the sender an Easter present for two months.

Finland - Friendship Day

Unlike most other countries, Finland does not consider Valentine’s Day a holiday for lovers. Instead, people here celebrate friendship, and call it “ystävänpäivä” (Friendship Day).

On this day, Finns send cards and small gifts to all the friends they care about. This is also an occasion for them to gather, “date” with friends and spend time together, instead of having candlelit dinners.

In addition, Finns are said to be a bit more reserved when it comes to expressing their love in public. While in France people can freely exchange kisses and romantic gestures in public, in Finland you may rarely see this image. Perhaps in some way, this personality trait also affects the way they celebrate couples' holidays in their country.

Czech Republic - May has Valentine's Day

Instead of celebrating Valentine's Day on February 14th like the rest of the world, the Czech Republic celebrates May 1st, which coincides with International Labor Day, as a day for lovers. On this occasion, according to tradition, couples hold hands and kiss under a blooming cherry tree to pray for health, happiness and good things. Petřín Park in Prague, with its many blooming cherry trees and statue of poet Karel Hynek Máha - author of the famous love poem "Máj" in Czech literature, is the place where lovers visit the most.

Ha Thu - Photo: Internet