10 THINGS I bet you never knew - February 14

Melaine Warren

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

TODAY is a very special day worldwide and many are showing their love in the best way they know how. This week we look at some traditions and customs celebrated worldwide.

1. Japanese welcome this day by preparing chocolates in their homes. It is the day when women come forward and gift chocolates to their beloveds. Men in turn are supposed to compensate this favour of love after a month that is on March 14. This day is termed as 'White's Day'.

2. Not just a lucky charm, the four-leaf clover is also part of an old love ritual. In some parts of Ireland, it is still believed that if a woman consumes a four-leaf clover while thinking about a particular man, he will eventually be hers.

3. Newly-wed couples in Russia, engrave their names on a padlock and then throw the key into the river. The tradition is supposed to symbolise that the pair's bond will never be broken, and it's rather touching to see how many people have come to the bridges to seal their union over the years.

4 Valentine's Day in Italy is better acknowledged as a spring festival calling for loads of excitement and thrill. You will find people rejoicing and dancing everywhere. Couples host lavish dinner parties calling their close friends.

5. In Wales, hundreds of years ago, hopeful young men would carve intricately detailed wooden spoons to woo the girl they were interested in. If she accepted the spoon as a gift, it demonstrated that she was interested and dating commenced. The spoons are carved with symbols representing a wide range of emotions intended to convey the giver's feelings. Here are just some of the symbol meanings: Heart — Love; Horseshoe — Good Luck; and Birds — Love Birds or Let's Go Away Together.

6. In Scotland, the day is celebrated with a festival, where an equal number of unmarried men and women play a name game by placing their names in a hat and take turn drawing from the hat. Of course, it is highly likely the two drawn names will not match, but in that case the male chooses his partner.

7. Valentine's Day in Taiwan is celebrated on this day like everywhere else, but there is also a special Valentines on July 7 of the lunar calendar based on an ancient Chinese folktale. According to Taiwan tradition, the colour and number of roses holds much significance. For example, one rose means an only love, while 99 means forever, while 100 means marry me.

8. In other countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and India, not everyone is allowed to celebrate this day. People from college are totally free to celebrate the way they want. But in high schools, students aren't normally allowed to celebrate the day of love. But some look for a way of giving notes to their crushes, even though it is not allowed.

9. In some parts of the Dominican Republic and El Salvador friends and family play games. The game played in the Dominican Republic is called 'angelito'. Dominicans rip pieces of paper and write the name of another person, either girl or boy. Then each player gives his/her 'angelito' a present. In El Salvador it is the same way of playing, but with a different name. The Salvadorian game is called 'amigo secreto' (secret friend).

10. In Iraq, the preservation of a red apple with clovers is a Kurdish tradition on the feast of love symbolising Adam and Eve's relation with the apple representing love and prosperity.

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10 THINGS I bet you never knew - February 14