Valentine's Day is drawing close, and around the world lovers and singles alike are getting ready for the love-filled day on February 14. Flowers, chocolates, teddy bears-these are some of the things that you will commonly see on Valentines, and while lovers may be excited, some feel less so.
However, there are cultures around the world that celebrate Valentine's Day a little different. While to them these traditions are normal and common, to the others they seem very strange. Here are some of the weirdest Valentine traditions to ever exist:
France. Every Valentine's Day, there is a certain activity that single people usually participate in. Called "une loterie d'amour" or "drawing for love, men and women would go into houses that face one another and would shout and call the opposite sex at the top of their lungs until they find a match. At the end of the day, the girls who don't get picked get together in a massive bonfire and would curse and throw stuff at the fire that belongs to the men that rejected them.
Wales. Instead of flowers, Welsh men give intricate, handmade wooden spoons to their partners or the girls they woo. It stemmed from an old Welsh tradition way back in the 17th century, as it is considered affectionate for men to carve beautiful wooden spoons and give it to women. They're called love spoons and each spoon's design represents a certain meaning. This practice still exists today.
Japan. Traditionally, the men were the ones obligated to give flowers and other love tokens to the girls or people they like during Valentine's Day. But in Japan, it's the other way around. During February 14, Japanese girls all over the country give chocolates to the boys they like or love, called "honmei-choko." Don't worry. Every March 14th it's the guys' turn to give love tokens to the girls, and this tradition is called "White Day".
China. For the Chinese, February 14 symbolizes the annual get-together of Zhinu and Niulang, two characters from a Chinese lore that is said to meet only once a year because of the disapproval of Zhinu's father, the king of the heavens. It's called Qixi and it is traditional for girls to offer fruits to Zhinu in the hopes of finding a good husband. Lovers also commonly go to temples for their dates so they can pray for lifetime happiness.
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