Cover Love is celebrated in many ways around the world. Here’s a look at Valentine’s Day equivalents and their traditions (Photo: Kazi Salahuddin Razu/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Love is celebrated in many ways around the world. Here’s a look at Valentine’s Day equivalents and their traditions (Photo: Kazi Salahuddin Razu/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Love takes many forms: a look at Valentine’s Day equivalents celebrated around the world
Valentine’s Day is celebrated in February around the world, but many countries have their own unique ways of marking love and affection. From ancient legends to modern customs, these love holidays reveal how romance, friendship and connection take different forms across cultures. Some focus on devotion and long-term commitment, others on playful exchanges or acts of thoughtfulness. These Valentine’s Day equivalents show that love is never one-size-fits-all, and that every culture has its own way of celebrating the bonds that matter most. Here are nine ways love is celebrated worldwide, from Chinese Valentine’s Day to Pepero Day.
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1. Japan – White Day
In Japan, Valentine’s Day has a gendered exchange of gifts: women give chocolates on February 14, and men return the gesture on March 14, known as White Day. The gifts men provide are traditionally more valuable, ranging from chocolates to jewellery. This Valentine’s Day equivalent reflects a culture of reciprocity and careful social etiquette, placing importance on acknowledging affection in measured ways rather than spontaneous romantic gestures.
2. China – Qixi Festival (七夕)
Held on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, Qixi or Chinese Valentine’s Day is based on the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. The story tells of lovers separated by the Milky Way who reunite once a year. Unlike Western Valentine’s Day, Qixi emphasises devotion and reunion over material gifts. Couples often celebrate with symbolic gestures such as making offerings, writing poems or stargazing to honour the enduring bond between the two figures.
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3. South Korea – White Day and Pepero Day
South Korea observes White Day on March 14, following the Japanese custom of gift reciprocity. Additionally, Pepero Day on November 11 has become a youth-driven celebration, centred on exchanging thin chocolate-covered biscuit sticks called Pepero. The more popular of Asian love holidays, these occasions are commercially widespread, and while White Day focuses on traditional courtship, Pepero Day has evolved into a playful, modern expression of friendship and romantic interest.
4. Brazil – Dia dos Namorados
Dia dos Namorados, celebrated on June 12, is Brazil’s principal romantic holiday, coinciding with the eve of St Anthony’s Day, patron saint of marriage. Unlike Valentine’s Day in February, this date aligns with local cultural rhythms. Couples exchange flowers, chocolates and cards, and many take the opportunity to express long-term commitment. The celebration is widely embraced, encompassing both young and established partnerships.
5. Wales – St Dwynwen’s Day
Observed on January 25, St Dwynwen’s Day honours Wales’ patron saint of lovers. The holiday predates Valentine’s Day traditions in the region and focuses on romantic expression and courtship. Couples may exchange cards or small tokens, but the emphasis is on sentiment rather than commercialisation, preserving a historic and culturally specific approach to marking affection.
6. Finland and Estonia – Friend’s Day
In Finland (Ystävänpäivä) and Estonia (Sõbrapäev), February 14 is less about romance and more about friendship. Cards, small gifts and gestures are exchanged among friends and family, highlighting social bonds and appreciation for platonic relationships. This approach contrasts sharply with the commercially driven celebrations of Valentine’s Day elsewhere, offering a more inclusive understanding of love and connection.
7. Jewish tradition – Tu B’Av
Tu B’Av, falling in late summer, has its origins in matchmaking and courtship rituals. Historically, it marked a time when young women were permitted to leave home and dance in vineyards to meet potential partners. In modern Israel, it has been reframed as a broader celebration of love, with couples exchanging gifts or expressing appreciation for one another. It stands as a unique Valentine’s Day equivalent that combines historical context with contemporary romantic practice.
8. Russia – Day of Family, Love and Fidelity
Celebrated on July 8, this holiday honours Saints Peter and Fevronia and promotes long-term partnership, family stability and enduring commitment. Unlike Valentine’s Day, which often emphasises courtship or romantic gestures, this Valentine’s Day equivalent is centred on lasting relationships, fidelity and domestic harmony, with many couples marking the day through shared rituals and family gatherings.
9. India –regional love festivals alongside Valentine’s Day
While Valentine’s Day is widely observed on February 14, some regions in India celebrate traditional spring festivals that carry themes of renewal and affection. Vasant Panchami, for example, is associated with the goddess Saraswati and the arrival of spring, fostering new beginnings and gentle expressions of care. In 2026, it was celebrated in January. These festivals coexist with Valentine’s Day, offering alternative cultural lenses through which love and connection are acknowledged.
Valentine’s Day equivalents around the world demonstrate the variety of ways societies express love. Whether focused on courtship, devotion, friendship or family bonds, these celebrations reveal that the desire to mark human connection transcends a single date or format.
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Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
