Valentine's Day, also known as Saint Valentine's Day, is a day when couples exchange chocolates, flowers, and cards to express love or friendship, and has become a popular holiday among young people in various countries in Europe and America. Today, the most popular phrase is "Happy Valentine's Day". As a new immigrant, do you know how Americans celebrate Valentine's Day?
For an American family, on Valentine's Day, the older husband takes his wife out for dinner, while the younger husband, in addition to arranging the family Valentine's dinner, must buy roses for his wife, and some even buy expensive jewelry. Additionally, as a father, he must buy flowers and chocolates for his daughter; otherwise, she will surely feel jealous. As a mother, to win her son's affection, she will also buy flowers and chocolates for him on Valentine's Day. However, fathers do not buy flowers for their sons, and mothers do not buy flowers for their daughters.
For a young man, if he has someone he likes, Valentine's Day is a good opportunity to express his feelings. If he is in a romantic relationship, being attentive on this day is very appropriate. For a girl, if she does not receive flowers on this day, it can be quite disappointing.
Generally speaking, on Valentine's Day in the United States, it is the men who take the initiative, and there are not many girls who take the lead. This is somewhat different from the situation in China. Additionally, in China, for boys pursuing a girl, if she accepts his Valentine's gift or invitation on this day, it signifies the establishment of a romantic relationship. In the United States, whether a man gives flowers or extends an invitation, it only conveys affection, and whether the girl accepts or not does not imply any commitment.
On Valentine's Day in the United States, popular restaurants usually start accepting reservations in January. It is said that many restaurants in Philadelphia are fully booked by early February. The number of people waiting for a table can exceed 40. In today's challenging economic climate in the United States, such a scene is indeed rare, but it reflects the significance of Valentine's Day in the hearts of Americans.
On Valentine's Day, American men will say "Happy Valentine's Day" to their female friends even if there is no special romantic relationship, and it has gradually evolved into a form of greeting in public. However, men rarely greet another man in public in this manner.
Unlike in China, the commercial hype surrounding Valentine's Day in the United States is not very intense. It is said that the level of commercialization in China has reached a point comparable to that of the Spring Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival. However, on Valentine's Day in the United States, aside from roses being in high demand, there is nothing particularly special. High-quality roses are usually imported from South America and are exquisite, with prices being many times higher than usual. The vast majority of those buying roses are men, who typically find various excuses to leave work early to prepare for a romantic evening. Those who do not have time to plan during the day often find themselves in a rush after work, running around to buy flowers, and sometimes end up empty-handed.
