Beyond Romance: Strange Valentine's Day Traditions Worldwide Revealed

• Ancient Roman Lupercalia Festival involved sacrificing animals and gently striking women with hides for health and strength, later replaced by Valentine's Day.
• France once had a "Drawing for Love" ritual where rejected women publicly burned ex-partners' photos, a tradition eventually banned due to its aggressive nature.
• In Japan, women give chocolates to men on Valentine's Day, with men reciprocating on White Day (March 14th); the Philippines hosts mass weddings for thousands of couples.
• German women planted onions with names to predict future husbands, while in Slovenia, walking barefoot in fields to see birds pairing signifies love.
• Finland and Estonia celebrate February 14th as Friendship Day, focusing on platonic love, and in England, women ate salty eggs to dream of their future husbands.