|
Valentine's Day
Reported by Ms. Kaori Seio
Branch Manager of Sun Chlorella London Branch
"February Fourteenth" is Valentine's Day, a day when lovers express their feelings to each other by sending cards, flowers and candy. In Japan, it seems this day has been over commercialized.*
It is thought that the custom of sending love letters on Valentine's Day started 150 years ago. Besides declaring their love in cards, another more extravagant method is to put an advertisement in a newspaper. In addition to sending cards, people send mobile phone text messages and posts on internet bulletin boards. On Valentine's Day, for the past several years, more than 30,000,000 e-mails were sent by mobile phone, but the number of mail through the postal service "snail mail" decreased to 12,000,000 as a result of progressing technology.
As in Japan, presents are also sent on Valentine's Day, in the UK. However, one difference is that in Japan it is common for the women to give gifts to the men, whereas in the U.K., men traditionally bestow presents to their significant other. Bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolates are popular gifts to show one’s devotion. In particular, roses are the most popular among all other presents received. Nevertheless, newspaper and magazine articles often give advice to men saying more imagination in the choice of gifts should be given. Every year there are more and more unique gifts ideas. How about a helicopter ride or test-driving a "Ferrari" as presents for men, and for women maybe taking a ride in a hot air balloon or beauty salon treatments?
* Valentine's Day has emerged in Japan as a day when women give candy, chocolate or flowers. It has become common for many women to give chocolates to male co-workers or just male friends. In Japan this is known as "giri-choko", from the words giri ("obligation") and choko, from "chocolate".
|
 |
