I love Valentine's day. That's the time for girls to raise their voices. However, it is too obvious who likes you, and it is too ashamed to give ほんめいチョコ, so I don't like to give special choco even if I "like" someone. (Japanese don't say I love you at the first time. We say, I like you.)Therefore, I just make for friends, and music club members.
I like to give choco to friends because I can show "thanks." When I give it to girls, it's no problem; however, I need to be careful when I give it to boys. If I give special one for one of the boys, they suddenly notice I like him. If the chocolate is too good or special, the boys don't accept it because the boys need to give something 3 times more than they get on White day. That doesn't mean boys have to give exactly 3 times more expensive stuff, but the boy usually don't cook, so they have to buy something. That costs nearly 3 times more than making chocolate. The boys usually give candy, and cookies that most girls like.
The boys have three choice: take chocolate and start dating, take choco and left (reply on White day), and deny choco and dating. Oh, some couples are already dating, and the boys get choco from girldriend. Some girlfriend doesn't want to see any choco from other girls even ぎり(obligation)チョコ, so some boys have to deny these choco. Nevertheless, getting choco is very strong sompetition for boys. If they don't get any choco, that means they don't get any love nor thanks. That's very sad, so some boys get choco from their mother and sister(s).
Boys don't have oppotunity to approach to girls because White day is just exchange day. I mean, if they don't get anything on Valentine's day, they don't need to give anything back. There is no way to begin from boys. Therefore, the choco campany started a campaign 逆(reverse)チョコ that boys give chocolate from few years ago. Yet, The campaign didn't grow big enough, but it would be a new custom if people are interested. Even thought the campaign promoted on a large slace, the event don't grow if anyone doesn't follow.
I think American student will get culture shock Japanese Valentine's day. As I got shock in the US, it is very different. Americans exchange gifts in the family, and couple. They don't exchange between friends. That's difficult to give choco to American friends. I took 4 hours to make chocolate, but that was bad timing because it was weekend, and I need to call them to come to get choco. No American show up (they even didn't come!!) So, I just left all chocolate at one of my friends room :(
That's weird to get choco from "just" friend. I campaigned "I will do Valentine's day in Japanese way," but no one interested in, I guess. Still, I think American should have friend's choco(友チョコ).
I like Valentine's Day, too. I think that Japanese Valentine's Day sounds like more fun then the American one, since I never do anything for American Valentine's Day, since giving friends things was something to do in elementary school. I kind of miss that.
返信削除It sounds more complex when you have to take in account how others will act when you give someone chocolate, like you said when giving it to guys who have girlfriends. I don't think I would be too upset if that happened to my boyfriend, but I would ask him who it was that gave it to him.
返信削除I would find giving special chocolate to a guy I like to be fairly embarrassing, but at the same time empowering as that would be the day to do it.
That's so sad that nobody came to get their chocolates. I would have loved to get some chocolate for Valentine's Day. I had to work the holiday itself, which I saw many men run in and out to get jewelry.
I agree that American's should have a friend chocolates. Here in America, for Valentine's Day, many people only give gifts when they are dating or really like each other after elementary school and maybe middle school. Valentine's day should be about showing everyone, friends and love interests, about how you appreciate or care about them.
返信削除D: I would have come to get chocolate!! That made me sad.
返信削除In America, in the elementary schools that I went to, we made little boxes and put them on our desks and people passed out candy and little cards to their friends, or the whole class.
I like the idea that guys have to spend 3x as much on White Day... hahaha, it's cute.
Hmmm getting Choco from a girl at giving 3x more in return! That is interesting and I can see why guys might turn it down. But I think its an awesome idea and sounds like lots of fun! The whole White day idea seems to drag valentines day out over a month instead of only one day. It gives people something to look forward to and possibly a little more excitement or romance due to anticipation.
返信削除wow sounds alot more complicated then I thought! That's sad they didn't come for their chocolate :(
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