Valentine’s Day is every year on February 14th, right in the middle of the month. In the United States, that means cards, flowers, and candy exchanged between couples and peers.  Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world, with varying traditions from country to country. Here’s a quick look at Valentine’s Day traditions from around the world. 

Denmark

In Denmark, it’s tradition to send anonymous joke letters to your crush. These letters are signed with dots, so the recipient has to guess who the sender is. If they guess correctly, they get an Easter egg. But if they guess wrong, they owe the sender an Easter egg.

South Korea

Korean couples celebrate their valentine twice a year! Like the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th. However on this day, gifts are given to boyfriends and husbands. Women are treated to gifts on March 14th known as White Day. 

Japan

Chocolate is always exchanged on Valentine’s Day in Japan. If you have a crush or a partner, you give them honmei choco or “true feeling chocolate.” But if you’re giving some to a friend or relative, you give them giri choco or “obligatory chocolate.”  

Mexico

In Mexico, February 14th is El Día del Amor y Amistad or the Day of Love and Friendship. Everyone, not just couples, celebrate with cute gifts and treats. 

The Philippines 

In the Philippines, the local government hosts mass weddings every Valentine’s Day. Couples gather to exchange their vows at the same time and celebrate together.  For many couples, this is an affordable way to have a wedding ceremony and reception. 

New York English Academy wishes you a Happy Valentine’s Day with friends, family, and loved ones.

Happy February! February is the shortest month of the year, but it is also the most romantic. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner on February 14th, our students got into the Valentine’s Day spirit by using some English Idioms.  

What’s an Idiom?

Idioms are phrases that have a meaning that is different from its individual parts. Unlike sentences with a literal meaning, idioms have a figurative meaning. For example, the idiom “bite the bullet” doesn’t literally mean to bite a bullet. It means to accept an unpleasant situation. Idioms exist in all languages and have often been passed down by groups of people throughout history. 

Idioms with “Heart”

To celebrate February, our students used English idioms and expressions using the noun “heart”. Read some down below: 

When I was studying in high school, I thought about what occupation I will have to choose. I was sure that I would like to do something important in life and be useful to people. I had a heart-to-heart talk with my mentor, a teacher of biology, that had a heart of gold and she advised me to follow my heart. It’s the story of how I chose medicine. – Oksana, Ukraine

I love the USA, and I have always dreamed of living here. In 2021, I followed my heart and came to America. My dream became a reality. – Irina, Russia

I have my heart set on becoming the best market financial analyst ever. I’m not half-hearted about it. – Florent, Cameroon

Once upon a time there were two men. One had a heart of gold, and the other had a heart of stone. They wanted to be each other. – Avihai, Israel