Happy St. Valentine’s Day Badooers!

Something magical happens on St. Valentine’s day. Millions of couples around the world express their infinite love for one another, and in doing so a universal positive energy liberates and affects each and every one of us. It’s a melting pot of rituals and cultures coming together under one umbrella, love.

In our offices in London, that mix of cultures and people is well represented, with staff members from lots of different countries around the world. This made us curious about different ways you can celebrate Valentine’s day with your beloved and how it evolved through time. We all know about flowers and dinner, but how else do people mark this occasion around the world?

Sending a card has been a long-standing tradition in England as well as the United States - this is a great way to kick off St. Valentine’s day! A nice bunch of flowers (strictly of the kind and colour she likes) or a box of chocolates and a nicely written card can truly impress your other half. Don’t worry if nothing comes up to mind, here are some great suggestions from Martha Stewart!  

In some Latin American countries Valentine’s Day has a broader meaning - it’s called Día del Amor y la Amistad (“Day of Love and Friendship”) and Amigo secreto (“Secret friend”). It sees people performing acts of kindness and appreciation for loved ones, and couples are not the only ones celebrating, as close friends and relatives get involved too.

While men are usually “in charge” of gifting in the West, things are a bit different in the Far East. In Japan for example, women are the ones buying chocolates for men - the tradition seems to have originated with a misspelled campaign from a foreign chocolate company in the early 1930s. Men must buy a gift in return though, and it should be two or three times the value of the gift they received (so not too different from the Western “status quo” then!)

For all the rest of you, if you’re looking for love, friendship or just someone to chat with this Valentine’s Day, then you know that Badoo has your back. Just log in and start chatting to someone special today!