There are at least three different saints who answer to the name Valentine or Valentinus. One legend of St Valentine tells how, when in prison, he sent a letter to a young girl—possibly his jailor’s daughter. He signed it: ‘From your Valentine’.

Some countries dislike or actively ban Valentine’s Day celebrations, some countries celebrate a friendship day so everyone is included and many people in many countries celebrate Valentine’s Day, despite war or collapsing economies. Here are eight:

I

In Iceland, the traditional celebrations are Men’s Day (Bóndadagur) and Women’s Day (Konudagur), celebrated in the months of þorri (end-January to end-February) and Góa (end-February to end-March) according to the Old Norse Calendar. Traditions include husbands wearing only one trouser leg and hopping … in the cold.

L

In Liaoning Province in China they hold kissing competitions at the end of December.

O

In Ontario, Canada, Ontarians apparently spend the majority of their Valentine’s Day budget on jewellery, while many of their fellow Canadians spend it on flowers or sweets.

V

In Venezuela they celebrate the Day of Love and Friendship – El Día de Amor y La Amistad – which includes everyone. And friendship is free, even if chocolate is expensive.

E

In Estonia they also celebrate Friends’ Day, a celebration of platonic love that includes those in all kinds of relationship: they call it Sõbrapäev.

Thanks for Great Friends

Y

In Yemen, where the war that began in 2015 still continues, fuel has become a gift of love. In 2020, on Valentine’s Day, people gave each other fuel for generators and cars.
One person said:

At terrible times like this, love is petrol.
It’s better than flowers or a gift on
Valentine’s Day.

O

The best things to do on Valentine’s Day in Oklahoma include (at least they were in 2014) eating chocolate, listening to spoken poetry and spotting bald eagles (February is, apparently, the peak month).

U

And in Ukraine, there’s a legend that if lovers walk together through this tunnel in Klevan, near Kiev, and make a wish, their wish will come true.