Happy Valentines Day!

All the stores are filled with chocolate right now. Chocolate and lots of products for baking. It seems like cooking or baking something is a big part of Valentine's Day in Japan. I love to bake, so I think this is a great idea! In America, I often bake cupcakes for Valentine's Day, but many people just give out cards or chocolate. 

I think in Japan Valentine's Day is a day where women usually give gifts to men and then on White Day the women get gifts. Did I get that correct?  In America, we don't have a White Day. Instead everyone gives gifts to each other on Valentine's Day. Usually you celebrate with a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, etc. but many people also give little presents or small cards to their friends and/or coworkers, just for fun. 

In school, many students give each other little cards. Small Valentine's Day cards are sold in all the stores this time of year.  The cards often have cartoon or movie characters on them. Students give cards to each other at school and sometimes chocolate. In the past, it was also popular to make your own cards and give them away. My mother still loves to make her own cards. She has a bag filled with little pieces of red and pink,  pictures of flowers, and small pieces of decorated paper. When I was little we'd take the bag out every year at Valentine's Day and make dozens of Valentines for all our friends. I don't live with my mother any more, but she still uses the bag to make valentines every year!