Valentine’s Day At Home And Abroad

Last Tuesday, I noticed that love was definitely in the air in Dublin. Valentine’s Day around the North County seems to be a very special day as it’s meant to be spent with your loved ones and uses gifts and cards to show how much you care. As I come from Finland, where Valentine’s Day is translated as ‘Friend’s Day’, this seems a little strange. It’s all very romantic but also so commercial as everything around here is trying to make you buy and pay to make your partner feel special and loved. It’s slightly similar in Finland, we definitely have cute decorations around our snow-filled streets, but instead of finding your Valentine, it’s mainly about spending the day with your best friends or remembering them with traditional post cards or cute messages. Not too much fuss, just a thoughtful token. I have also spent Valentine’s Day on the other side of the world, in Sydney, Australia and it’s celebrated in a very similar way. Everyone’s in a rush getting a gift to surprise their partners. Pretty much the only difference in Valentine’s Day celebrations between here and Australia is the weather. Here in Dublin (where I’ve noticed it rains a lot!) couples want to cosy up together on the couch, whereas in sunny Sydney they might do the same by the beach. Regardless of these differences both in Finland, Australia and here in Dublin, there’s one thing in common. No matter what it’s called, 14th of February is after all just one day to remind you that you’re supposed to remember the most important people in your life every day.