Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! I must say, my Valentine's Day is going quite well this year. Or should I call it Valentine's weekend? ahahaha. I feel like I'm celebrating Valentine's for three days instead of one! On Valentine's itself I plan to do some awesome baking and sweet-making, and then, in one week we are going to my Grandparent's house for a 'real' Valentine's party! Plus, there's some cool stuff going on tonight, too. =3
 Right now, I am contemplating the meaning of Valentine's Day. Truthfully, the last time I was told the story was about four or five years ago, and I don't remember the details. As far as I know, St. Valentine was a really loving person so they made a celebration day for him which thru commercialism evolved into this huge pink, red, and white thing.
 I can tell you, however, the way the Japanese celebrate Valentine's Day. Unlike here in America and in Europe, where the men give the women gifts on Valentine's, in Japan the women give the men chocolates. Funny, eh? Well, truth is that it's all a big marketing strategy to sell a lot of chocolate! The women/girls are expected to give candy to their fathers, brothers and coworkers. Classmates and others I'm not sure about. So along with your significant other, girls, you'd be giving chocolate to lots of other males! Talk about blowing the budget, especially if your chocolates are expensive European ones. Though, if you want to express your love to that someone who is more special than all the others, you make your chocolate gift. This is viewed as much more endearing because you spent time and effort on them.
 So where do all the customs and manners of Japan come in? White Day! March 14th, one month after Valentine's, is when males are expected to return the gifts of chocolate given, and typically their return gifts are expected to be much more expensive. (Googled this)-Traditionally, gifts are white chocolate, cookies, jewellery and marshmallows.  The phrase sanbai gaeshi is typically refered to, since it means thrice more. This indicates that a White Day present should be either twice or three times as much as a Valentine's chocolate was.  In South Korea, this day is also celebrated, with the men giving candy instead of chocolate.-

Cool, eh? Personally, I like the way WE celebrate Valentine's Day...there's only ONE day for giving and getting, and we don't have to worry about status and who will be put out if we don't get them something!

So, I hope you enjoy your Valentine's Day and that information above. I'm gonna try to make fudge sometime later-Let's hope it works out- but don't worry, I don't have any Valentines in mind.;) Just the deadline of my Grandparent's party! hahaha

-Argent~