How do the BRICS countries celebrate St. Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day, or day of all lovers, is a special holiday when couples express their love and appreciation for each other. In Russia, it is popular mainly among young people. Lovers give each other Valentine's cards and gifts to express their feelings. But how do other five countries: Brazil, India, China and South Africa celebrate it?

South Africa

In South Africa, Valentine's Day has great significance. Traditionally, St. Valentine’s Day was a religious feast day set aside to honor the third-century Christian martyr St. Valentine, who himself was primarily associated with love. In particular, St. Valentine was thought to have married couples even during a marriage ban. Over time, however, the holiday took on a more romantic and love-related connotation. Couples in South Africa celebrate Valentine’s Day similarly to those in other countries.

In South Africa, for example, many people favor a romantic walk on the beach while others opt for a more public outing like the zoo, or even hiking. South Africans often give their kêrel ( “boyfriend” ) or meisie ( “girlfriend” ) a thoughtful gift. Valentine’s Day traditions also include long festivals, sometimes beginning days before the holiday.

During the Valentine’s Day season, it’s common to see younger women with their lovers’ names attached to their sleeves. Many couples will give their better half a Valentyns Kaarjie, or “Valentine’s card,” to express their great affection.

Brazil

Brazilian Valentine’s Day is Brazil’s special version of Valentine’s day that is celebrated on June 12 of every year. The holiday is known locally as ‘Dia dos Namorados’. Although the essence of the day is pretty much the same as Valentine’s Day on February 14, it’s difficult to celebrate Saint Valentine in February because the date clashes with one of Brazil’s biggest outdoor festivals, the Carnaval.

So Brazilians celebrate their version of Valentine’s Day on June 12; a date chosen because of its proximity to another day of love — Saint Anthony’s Day. Although the celebrations for ‘Dia dos Namorados’ have become closely intertwined with observances for Saint Anthony’s Day, the holiday has quite an interesting origin story.

The creation of a special Valentine’s Day in Brazil was inspired in 1948 by a publicist called João Doria who was trying to figure out how to improve sales for a clothing store. Doria got inspired by the Mother’s Day celebrations in Brazil and decided to create a special day for lovers to share gifts and exchange acts of love.

As time went by, the essence of the Brazilian Valentine’s Day celebrations began to merge with the religious observances of Saint Anthony’s Day, which is celebrated the following day on June 13. Saint Anthony, who is fondly referred to locally as Saint Anthony of Padua, is a very important figure in Brazilian history. He was highly regarded for his ability to help people find their alright partners, earning him the nickname; “The Matchmaker Saint.”

India

Valentine's Day in India is not just for couples, many families celebrate 14 February with family and friends. The personal life of Indians is inextricably linked to the life of the whole family, people without a couple on this day may well celebrate 14 February among relatives and friends. For married couples, it is another occasion to express their feelings towards their partner: husband and wife usually give each other jewellery and say tender wishes.

In India, the local government's Animal Welfare Board has called for Valentine's Day to be turned into Cow Hug Day. According to one official, hugging this pet will bring emotional richness and increase personal and collective happiness.

China

In the PRC, the holiday has only recently become popular among young people. On Valentine's Day, young people go to movies, throw parties, and couples schedule weddings on this romantic date. The streets, restaurants and other public places in all of the country's metropolitan areas are decorated with hearts and angels.

Many establishments offer couples great discounts, including restaurants.

But Valentine's Day is only popular with young people because the Chinese have their own traditional Valentine's Day. It's called Qixijie and is celebrated according to the lunar calendar on the seventh day of the seventh month (in 2023, this day falls on August 22).

Photo: istockphoto.com, neural network