Valentine's Day in Japan

Last night, I saw one of my niece preparing a Valentine's Day card for someone. I asked who will receive the card. She answered someone's name but I do not know that person and it seems not her clash. He might be a teacher? I missed chance to tease her.

Since yesterday, my nieces and relative's girl greeted me by saying Happy Valentine's Day. I heard this greeting from the radio too. This morning, my husband also greeted me in that way. It is weird to hear so because we are a couple not celebrating any date except Christmas.

As a Japanese who has been observe very strange Valentine's Day's tradition in my country, I sort of get disenchanted with the day. It might be a reason why I am sort of nothing to say about this day even people greeted me by saying Happy Valentine's day.

The following four points might be uniquely observed in Japan on this day.

1. Gift on this day is dominantly chocolate

Do you like Chocolate?

It is not bad to chose a chocolate as a gift. In fact, I pick this as a gift or souvenir for friends or relatives and I love it. But what if the gift is dominantly chocolate and people somehow expect to receive this?
Before this day, shopping malls, super markets and even convenience stores display different kind of Valentine's Day chocolate. This is commercialized event which was created by chocolate industry :D We are all aware of this point but people still consider chocolate is the gift on the day.

2. Girl to boy, one-way gift giving event

It is commonly observed one-way, female to male gift giving. The reason why this practice- female to male gift giving- are accepted in our society, can be academic  research :D
Why not, other way around? Is it because our society decades ago male is the one who are expected to lead the relationship? So if we revise the gender based expected action, it shows empowerment female? Female is not anymore being passive in the relationship.
Or simply is it just commercially motivated? Male like my husband! usually do not care about the day or event. So it is better to start from female? If female gave a gift to a male, he feels obliged to return a gift to her?

Anyway, we somehow imprinted this idea.            

3. Opportunity to express love

Elementary days, there were several very courageous girls to give a chocolate to her clash. It was sign she liked him. Even she declare her love for her clash. The idea won't change that much even we get old.    

4. Chocolate out of courtesy

Previously I mentioned, chocolate is sign of love on the day of Valentine's day. But we are people obsessing sense of obligation. This sense applies even to this event. How? Women prepare chocolate(or gift) for her clash or loved one, but at the same time, they prepare chocolate for her colleagues and close male friends too. It is called "giri choco" (chocolate out of courtesy). Eventually, girl spend a lot to distribute chocolate.

By the way, there are categorizations of level of chocolate(or other gifts). Honmei choco means chocolate for your special someone. Tomo choco means chocolate for (usually female) friends. Anyway, girls love chocolate. It is nice to bond among friends.

I usually enjoyed tomo chocolate from my female friends who are good at these things. In this way, I enjoyed this day..I wish Happy Valentine's Day.