Unusual Valentine's Day traditions from around the world

Valentine's Day began life as a pagan festival, involving sacrifices to the god of fertility and a matchmaking lottery. Since then, the celebration has become heavily commercialized and is now synonymous with giant bouquets of roses, chocolates and greeting cards. However, many countries around the world still have their own quirky traditions that take place every year when February 14 comes around. Here, Vogue looks at how different countries around the world celebrate the day.

It is traditional for only the women to give gifts to men on Valentine's Day in Japan, often in the form of chocolates. There are two different types: giri choco (obligation chocolate), for friends and colleagues, and honmei choco (true feeling chocolate), for someone she has romantic feelings for. In return, men will gift women something on White Day, on March 14, ranging from white chocolates, to cookies, sweets or even jewellery. South Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan have similar traditions.

While cards are sent all around the world on Valentine's Day, the Danes have their own take on the tradition dating back to the 18th century. Secret admirers will send gaekkebrev (joking letters) to their crushes, normally in the form of a paper snowflake featuring a poem. The sender signs their name in dots, and has to give the recipient an Easter egg if he or she manages to guess their identity.

In the Philippines, simply exchanging gifts isn't enough. Instead, hundreds of couples take part in mass wedding ceremonies on Valentine's Day. The nuptials-which are sponsored by local government-help couples who can't afford to get married themselves. The wedding cake, flowers, and even rings come as part of the package.

On February 14, young people in South Africa make a bold declaration of love by pinning the name of their sweethearts on their sleeves. The tradition is believed to stem from the ancient festival of Lupercalia festival, which would see men wear the name of their Valentine in similar fashion.

Valentine's Day in China is not traditionally celebrated on February 14, but as part of the Qixi Festival, which celebrates the legend of the weaver girl and cow herder. The festival happens on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month on the Chinese calendar, which normally falls in August. In the past, women would typically handcraft a gift for their sweetheart, although nowadays the festival is celebrated in a similar way to Valentine's Day in the West, with flowers and chocolates.

Paris may be known as the city of love, but the village of Saint-Valentin, located south of the capital, undoubtedly becomes the country's romantic epicentre on Valentine's Day. A two-day festival, which includes exhibitions, walks and candlelit dinners, takes place there every year, with other attractions including the Lovers' Garden where couples can dedicate a tree to each other.

The writer is a freelancer