White Day

White Day, March 14, as opposed to Valentine's Day, is a completely Japanese event. While women give gifts to men on Valentine's Day in Japan, on White Day, men should return the favor and give gifts to women from whom they received gifts or chocolate, or to women in whom they are romantically interested.Although White Day is not as big as St. Valentine's Day, many people still send various gifts. For White Day, cookies, candies or white chocolates are common instead of regular chocolates. There is a superstition amoung some young people that if someone gives you cookies, that means "I love you;" candies mean "I like you," and white chocolate means "Let's be friends." Other gifts usally given along with food are jewelry, handbags, shoes, wallets, scarves, handkerchieves, and stuffed animals. Some men, just as in America, give lingerie to their girlfriends.As on St. Valentine's Day, on the day of or before White Day, we can see many couples enjoying going out together around town. They often go shopping, see movies, or dine at fancy restaurants.

In spite of the popularity of St. Valentine's Day among children, boys rarely return gifts to girls on White Day. Therefore, mothers whose boys are in elementary schools or kindergartens buy cookies or candies, and give them to the girls who gave chocolates to their boys.

In Japan, Valentine's Day is observed by females who present chocolate gifts (either store-bought or handmade), usually to a male, as an expression of love. The handmade chocolate is usually preferred by the receiver, because it is a sign that the receiving male is the girl's "only one". On White Day, the converse happens: males who received a honmei-choco or giri-choco on Valentine's Day are expected to return the favor by giving gifts, usually more expensive. Traditionally, popular White Day gifts are cookies, jewellery, white chocolate, white lingerie and marshmallows.When Japanese unique Valentine's Day of females giving chocolates to males to express affinity and love has taken root in 1980, another manners and customers unique to Japan formed, which is White Day, celebrated on March 14. The custom of White Day is quite unique to Japan. On this day, men have the opportunity to give gifts to women in return for the chocolate they received on Valentine's Day.

The custom of White Day started in 1978 in Fukuoka City when a sweet maker came up with the idea as a way to promote sales,. Then White Day campaign was planned and approved by nationwide association of candy industry and the first campaign was held in 1980. The fifth campaign in 1984 has become such a huge success that they were short of products, and 1984 was named as the year that in which White Day has taken root.

White Day has slowly become an annual custom among many men, although Japanese men were not accustomed to giving gifts like this to women, and then the custom eventually spread throughout the country. At first, the gifts given to women were often something white, like marshmallows or white chocolate, hence the name White Day. Recently however, various gifts are given, regardless of the color, and currently, companies from many different fields are developing products for the day.