Post Valentine Post

"Saint Valentine's Day, commonly known as Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is observed on February 14 each year. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it remains a working day in most of them." (Wikipedia)

"St. Valentine's Day began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. The most popular martyrology associated with Saint Valentine was that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire. During his imprisonment, he is said to have healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius. Legend states that before his execution he wrote her a letter "from your Valentine" as a farewell." (Wikipedia)

I was having a lesson earlier with one of my Japanese student. As part of the lesson I needed to ask her about her day, how it went and so on. Since I was not able to teach last week because I went out of the country and cancelled my lessons because it's Hearts day, I had the urge to ask her about how she celebrated Valentines day.

She told me that she gave her male co-workers chocolates in mini boxes. The sound of women giving gifts to men is not new to me, but hey! I didn't grow up to that kind of tradition. So I asked her again what did her husband gave her, and she told me that she gave her husband a big box of chocolate and she got nothing in return. Okay, I didn't get anything too so that was okay. So I asked her why is she the one giving away boxes of chocolates to men? She replied " Its our tradition/custom to give chocolates to men every February 14, Valentines day." OKAY, I said and asked WHY? She repeated that it's a Japanese custom that they practice and follow but next month the 14th of March, the women/girls will be the one receiving Chocolates from men. They call it the "WHITE DAY."

"In South Korea, similar to Japan, women give chocolate to men on February 14, and men give non-chocolate candy to women on March 14 (White Day)." (Wikipedia)

So I've researched. The next sentences on my researched freaked me out a bit and made me laugh, here it goes:

"On April 14 (Black Day), those who did not receive anything on 14 February or March go to a Korean restaurant to eat black noodles (자장면 jajangmyeon) and "mourn" their single life." (Wikipedia)

The latter, Japanese people don't practice anymore. I didn't know other cultures take receiving "flowers or chocolates" seriously that they needed to eat black noodles and mourn. Maybe its just for fun. I hope. Hehe

Another student said that it all started because of a Chocolate Company in Japan, where in they promoted their product to consumers to serve as gifts for Valentines day and White day. My student also stated that people are just making the chocolate company richer and richer every year. I could taste something BITTER. He's single. :P

I'm used to not getting anything on Valentines day specifically. I once received a flower, a balloon, and a card by surprise inside my car from the Love of my Life 5 years ago. The feeling was fulfilling and just pure happiness and appreciation. He never did anything like that again on Valentines day for he believed that flowers and other material things are not the basis of ones LOVE. He repeats that everyday should be Valentines day.

I love Flowers, but I see past those things when I look at him. 

" Whatever tradition or custom people follow, still everything revolves around LOVE. All things fall in and out of it. We all lose and find it. All beginnings and never-endings comes with it. " (-burigs-)

Like I always tell my Mother, that LOVE IS FOREVER.

To my Hunny, I LOVE YOU FOREVER.

To the rest of the World, MAKE LOVE NOT WAR.

-Burigs