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Valentine’s Day (February 14 )
While Valentine’s Day is historically not an American holiday, the contemporary
version popularized around the world draws heavily from the American tradition.
On this day, couples proclaim their love to each other, giving each other roses,
candy, or other gifts, some of which can be rather upscale.
Sending one another Valentine’s greetings is also a common practice on this day.
Please do not mistake them for signals of romantic interest. Most of the time, they
are just friendly reminders that someone holds you dear and is thinking of you.
As the holiday has been heavily commercialized for decades, it is not without its
detractors. Not everyone is willing to extend or receive Valentine’s greetings. It
might be a good idea to just wait until your first Valentine’s Day in the US and see
how the people around you celebrate, rather than rushing head first into (possibly
unwanted or frowned upon) displays of affection.

