How Valentine’s Day is Celebrated Around the World!
In China, they have their very own day dedicated to love. Their Chinese Valentine’s Day is called Qi Qiao Jie, or Double Seventh Festival on the 13th of August.
While this day is devoted to expressing love it has also been a day for singles to get out there. The growing single epidemic in China is making Double Seventh Festival a popular day for matchmaking events, dating shows and singles finding love.
(Women in Shanghai attend a matchmaking event. Image: Reuters/Carlos Barria)
(Participants of the dating show “Meet you on Saturday.” Image: Reuters/Carlos Barria)
(Image: Reuters/Carlos Barria)
Valentine’s Day in India is a little more complicated. Although it has been gaining popularity in recent years it is not accepted by all.
Highly religious groups are not in support as many Western traditions contradict the Hindu religion’s conservative ideals. Couples that go out on Valentine’s Day and openly celebrate this new holiday have been harassed in the past.
Russia has a quite similar approach to Valentine’s Day as Western countries. It is a fairly new holiday that has no roots in Russia but has spread to Russia after the fall of the Iron Curtain. Couples display their love for one another on this day but it is also a day to encourage reproducing.