Here at RealWorld Holidays, we simply love Valentine’s Day, and every year we look forward to all the treats that it can bring, whether that involves receiving a simple card from a partner, or heading out to a favourite restaurant.
As you might imagine however, Valentine’s Day is celebrated differently around the world, and this is especially so in Latin America.
Check out some of the quirkiest and most fascinating Valentine’s Day traditions right here with RealWorld Holidays:
Peru
Always one to host a carnival, on Valentine’s Day in Peru it is customary for a large carnival to take place around the same time in some of the countries biggest cities and towns.
Locals like to celebrate by presenting each other with orchids, which are native to the country (there are over 3,000 species).
Also considered a public holiday, it is also a day to show your love and appreciation for friends.
More often than not, the day is also used for weddings en masse, so overall, the day can be one of the busiest and most special of the year.
In very traditional weddings there is often a ceremonial offering to Mother Earth and the Mountain Spirits.
Brazil
In Brazil, Valentine’s Day is known as Dia Dos Namorados and is celebrated on June 12 due to the day’s proximity to Saint Anthony’s Day.
As you can imagine, the day is closely related to the observances of Saint Anthony and it is common for homes to be brightly decorated as carnivals and parades take place throughout the streets.
Being that Brazil is such a vibrant and musical country, it might not surprise you to learn that the samba also plays a huge role in the day; accompanied by generous amounts of caipirinhas.
Argentina
Unlike both Brazil and Peru, Valentine’s Day, otherwise known as Dia des los Enamorados is a relatively quiet day, although couples still show their affection with romantic dates and trips to local attractions.
Despite this however, there is also another day for showing your affection, and this is known as Sweetness Week (Semana de la Dulzura), and is celebrated in the first week of July.
During this time, people exchange candies with one another in exchange for a kiss.
Colombia
Colombia’s Valentine’s Day, the Day of Love and Friendship (Dia de Amor y Amistad) is celebrated on the third Saturday of every September.
Colombia changed the date of the celebration in 1969 so that merchants were able to sell both chocolates and roses in September, a month where there were no public holidays.
Romantic dinners and roses are common ways of celebration and you can usually pick up a bouquet of flowers for as little as 8,000 pesos (around £2).
Chile
Known as the Dia de San Valentin, Valentine’s Day is an important day in Chile and is often something that many couples look forward to well in advance.
Much like the UK, restaurants, bars, and hotels invest large amounts of money in marketing promotions to offer incentives to couples throughout the day.
There is also a great emphasis on spoiling your other half with gifts and it is not uncommon for precious jewels to be offered within neatly wrapped boxes.
