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Valentine’s Day: Imported with Love?
To be quite honest, I am not a big fan of Valentine’s Day. In fact, one February 14 several years ago, I was on my way to work when I realized I had donned a red shirt. The thought that people would find my color choice an intentional celebration of this hearts-and-roses-filled day bothered me so much that I considered returning home to change. I know. I’m that cynical.
But today I’m putting my cynicism aside (at least in one sense) to explore Valentine’s Day as it is celebrated in countries beyond my own. Here are a couple examples.
Ghana
When I lived in Ghana, I was surprised to find that the holiday infused every aspect of society. There were even red fabrics featuring white arrow-pierced hearts which any tailor could make into a full dress for devoted fans.
In 2006, February 14 was designated as National Chocolate Day—the West African nation is one of the world’s leading producers of cocoa—to encourage consumption of the sweet treat. Read more here. This year, some are calling for free chocolate because the price of chocolate is too high for the average Ghanaian to enjoy.
Uzbekistan
This morning, the BBC News headline, “Uzbekistan ‘Cancels Valentine’s Day’” caught my eye. According to the article, the popular Uzbek singer Rayhan typically gives a concert on Valentine’s Day. This year, the government has canceled the show in the attempt to celebrate February 14 for a different reason—as the birthday of Babur, a descendent of Genghis Khan.
While I like the idea of re-focusing on local culture, I think officials probably could have been more accommodating of both holidays.
In what other ways are countries incorporating Valentine’s Day into their already existing culture? Check out The Atlantic’s 2011 feature of 28 photos depicting “Valentine’s Day Around the World.” Whatever your sentiments about Valentine’s Day are, what do you think about its celebration across the globe?
