Valentine’s Day

In Hungary, February 14 answers to two names: Valentin-nap and Bálint-nap — Bálint being the Hungarian form of Valentine. The double name hints at the holiday’s double nature in Hungary.

In Poland, February 14 goes by a charming diminutive: Walentynki — literally “the little Valentines.” The name itself tells you something about how Poland relates to the holiday. It is

Every year on May 1, while much of the world marches for workers’ rights, the Czech Republic does something else: it kisses. On the first of May — První máj

In Ukraine, Valentine’s Day carries a weight it carries almost nowhere else. The flowers are the same — red roses, tulips, mixed bouquets tied with ribbon — and the rituals

Russia is one of the few countries in the world where love officially gets celebrated twice a year. Ask a young couple in Moscow about Valentine’s Day and they will

Norway does Valentine’s Day the Norwegian way: quietly, recently, and with a mischievous twist. Valentinsdag is one of Norway’s youngest traditions — barely a generation old as a mainstream celebration

In Finland, February 14th is not Valentine’s Day. It’s Ystävänpäivä — Friend’s Day. While the rest of the world exchanges romantic declarations, Finns celebrate friendship: cards for friends, small gifts

In Sweden, Valentine’s Day has a different name and a bigger heart. Alla hjärtans dag — “All Hearts’ Day” — is a celebration not just of romantic love but of

Belgium doesn’t just celebrate Valentine’s Day — it is Valentine’s Day, in edible form. This is the country that invented the praline, perfected the truffle, and turned chocolate-making into a

The Netherlands fell in love with Valentine’s Day the Dutch way: pragmatically, belatedly, and on its own terms. Valentijnsdag barely existed in the Netherlands before the 1990s — Dutch florists

Germany’s relationship with Valentine’s Day is complicated — and that’s what makes it interesting. In a country famous for Ordnung and understatement, February 14th arrived as an American import, was

On April 23rd, the streets of Barcelona smell of roses and old paper. Every corner hosts a bookstall; every passer-by seems to be carrying a story; and lovers across Catalonia