Hello dear friends!! Hope you enjoy a wonderful Wednesday! Mine has been a routine day and now it is almost over. We've had our dinner and later will be the time to watch our favourite Korean drama together, before one by one's bedtime arrived. Of course, mine is the last! Heehee!

Each year, after the New Year celebration is over, the promotion for Valentine’s Day which falls on February 14 will start almost immediately. By February 13 all prices for flowers, be it fresh or artificial, gifts, chocolates, hotel packages and etc will be double, if not triple!

Celebrating Valentine’s Day is actually not our custom. But when more and more people perceived it as the day for lovers, more and more begins to celebrate it no matter what race, what religion and what nation… as love is a universal language, this is an opportunity woo sweethearts.

Here Valentine’s Day is mostly celebrated mostly the Western style as we’re very much influenced by Western TV shows on and movies. However, as love is shared not only among lovers but also among families and friends, there are even Valentine cards available for parents, siblings, friends and etc. These money-making entrepreneurs just wouldn’t let any opportunity slip by.

Even in Japan, although celebrated in a rather unusual way, has a commercial reason behind it too. They somehow managed to have their own unique way of celebrating Valentine. Sending cards and wishing “Happy Valentine’s Day” is not commonly practiced in Japan.

This unique custom of celebrating Valentine’s Day in Japan was started by a chocolate manufacturer in 1958, who made heart-shaped chocolates and marked Feb 14 as “the day women confess to men their love, with a gift of chocolate.”

As the popularity of such Valentine chocolates grew with each passing year, the custom of women giving chocolates to men gradually took root. Women will give honmei choco (“true love” chocolates) and other gifts to their sweethearts and giri choco (“obligatory” chocolates) is given to their superior, colleagues and friends as a token of friendship or gratitude, regardless of gender. So men, don’t get too excited when you get chocolates from Japanese girls… There might not be any romantic interest involved!

The concept of giri is mutual obligation that the Japanese observe when dealing with other people. They feel obligated to return a favour received. To fulfil their giri, Valentine’s Day is followed by “White Day” on March 14 i.e. exactly a month later.

White Day is purely a Japanese creation, invented for the men who received chocolates on Valentine’s Day, to reciprocate the gesture. Some men give gifts such as chocolates, cookies, candies, handkerchiefs and pouches.

Similarly, White Day is believed to have been launched by a confectioner in 1965 to take the opportunity to market their white chocolates.

So I guess, if you’re staying in Japan, don’t get too excited when you received a lot of Valentine chocolates because there will be “payback” time on March 14, with normally, more expensive chocolates.

This info is gathered from a Malaysian lady who is married to a Japanese and has been living in Japan since 1992.

So, that's all for now from my little world!

Take Care &

Happy Valentine's Day To All My Friends!!