With Valentine’s Day behind us and March on it’s way, we can’t help but ask- Are you celebrating White Day on March 14th? Most of us know what Valentine’s Day is, but there are much less people who celebrate the correlating holiday that happens a month later.
White day is a holiday most often linked to Japan (though it is also celebrated in South Korea, Taiwan, and China). In Japan, Valentine’s day is one in which women typically give men gifts of chocolate. There is “giri choco” given to male friends and “honmei choco” which is higher quality chocolate given to someone the woman has romantic feelings for. A month later, on White Day, the male responds to whomever has given him a gift. He may give her white chocolate to represent friendship, chocolate candy to say “I like you”, or chocolate cookies to say “I love you”. Of course strong feelings may also bring a man to give a response of jewelry and other more fancy gifts.
White Day was first celebrated in Japan in the 1970′s as an “answer day” because they believed men should repay the women who gave them gifts. The holiday ended up spreading throughout Asia, but had some variations. In South Korea, this is a holiday celebrated primarily by couples only and in China the holiday’s are flipped- men give the first gift and women respond a month later.
Didn’t get your chocolate fill during Valentine’s Day? Now you have an excuse for more!
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That’s an interesting fact. I’m glad we don’t celebrate this in the United States. I would hate to have to wait a month for a response from a guy!