The season of love is in the air! More specifically, Valentine’s Day! Occurring on February 14th in most countries, Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate your relationships, or get great deals on chocolate. Each country has its own unique traditions for this very special day, and we’re about to tell you a few.

In South Korea, Valentine’s Day is celebrated alongside with White Day and Black Day, from February to April. On Valentine’s Day women in Korea send their special someone chocolate, candy, and flowers. Then, on March 14th (White Day) men return the gesture by giving a gift to their significant others. A month later, on April 14th (Black Day) singles eat black bean-paste noodles to mourn their solitary status.

The Chinese version of Valentine’s Day occurs on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar; it’s August 17th this year. Called QiXi, it celebrates a nearly 2,000 year old fairy tale based on a romantic legend between a weaver goddess and an ox herder. Originating from the Han Dynasty, the holiday has now come to symbolize true love. QiXi festivals in China celebrate this romantic holiday in a variety of different ways. For example, in rural areas children pick wild flowers and hang on the horns of oxes – all because the ox herder was truly in love with the weaver according to the ancient fairy tale.

One of the oldest Valentine’s Day traditions occurs in Taiwan where people release floating lanterns into the sky to make wishes for love. This magical, enchanted event is viewed by mesmerized spectators throughout Taiwan.

Japan celebrates Valentine’s Day on February 14th, and in a very unique way. On Valentine’s Day, women gift men chocolate. There are two types of chocolate given: Giri-Choco and Honmei-Choco. Giri means obligation, so it is usually given to close male friends, colleagues, and bosses without any romance. Honmei-Choco means true feeling and is usually given to your boyfriend, significant other, or husband with true love. Most Honmei-Choco is homemade because women believe that it is not true love if the chocolate is store bought.

In Brazil, Valentine’s Day is actually celebrated on June 12, because of its close proximity to Saint Anthony’s Day. It is called Dia dos Namorados, which translates to “Lovers’ Day”. On this day, couples exchange flowers and chocolate, and also attend a grand dinner.

Valentine’s Day (La Saint-Valentin) in France is not just a celebration of love, but a day where shopkeepers can make a lot of profit. In fact, about 70% of all French people celebrate Valentine’s Day, spending about 50 euros (about 62 dollars) each; they normally buy flowers, jewelry, or food.

Valentine’s Day is a wonderful holiday that simply celebrates love.