Who would receive a romantic gift on White Day?
I was talking to a florist friend the other day and she told me about White Day which falls on 14 March and has become very popular in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan. I haven’t heard of it before as where I come from, it is not a day we celebrate. Like Valentine’s Day, it was commercially created. White Day originated in the 1970s in Japan to boost marshmallow sales.
In Korea, Valentine’s Day is all about men. It is a day when women give men gifts, mainly chocolates and sweets. And in return, the men who received gifts would give the women they received gifts from gifts on White Day, which is all about women. A sort of “Reply Day”.
A Giri choco gift of Chupa Chup for friendship
The gifts that the ladies send on Valentine’s Day have significant meanings. The common Giri choco or obligatory chocolates, mainly inexpensive chocolates and sweets, represent friendship. It is chocolate women give to those whom they have no romantic attachments such as co-workers and casual acquaintances. Then there is Honmei choco or true love chocolate which a woman sends to a man whom she has romantic inclinations. These are of higher quality and more expensive such as handmade chocolates, quality confectioneries and premium cakes.
A Honmei choco of handmade chocolates for romance
Now, I did the right thing this Valentine’s Day. I arranged for a gift for our man, Park Sihoo-ssi. But, not aware of the nuances of Valentine’s Day in Korea, even though the florist asked if I wanted to send chocolates as well, I declined thinking it too common a gift. Darn! I should have listened! If I had, then maybe, just maybe, our Park Sihoo-ssi would be sending a gift to his ladies at ParkSihooSsi.com today on White Day!
Our gift of flowers to Park Sihoo-ssi on Valentine’s Day
Had that happened, I would be in total shock! I wonder how he would have interpreted the gift he received on Valentine’s Day and what sort of return gift we would receive? Giri choco in friendship or Honmei choco to express his tender feelings?
Yes, we can only dream 🙂 Kekeke!
Happy White Day, dear sisters! 행복한 화이트 데이 되세요!
Sending his thoughts in pristine white for White Day!
White Day greetings to his princesses in advance ?
白色情人节幸福！
那天我跟一位花店朋友聊天，她告诉我3月14日是白色情人节，在日本、韩国、中国和台湾非常流行。我没听说过这节日，因为在我的国家没有这种庆祝。就如情人节，这天是商业创造的。白色情人节起源于70年代的日本，为的是推动棉花糖的销售。
在韩国，情人节是属于男士的。在情人节，女士会给男士送礼物，主要送巧克力和糖果。作为回报，收到礼物的男士将在白色情人节做回报，给情人节送礼的女士送回一份礼物。白色情人节也被称为“回复日”。
I will be in shock if he sends us something!
女士们在情人节送的礼物有很大的含义。 常见的 Giri choco 是最普通，较便宜的巧克力糖果，代表友谊，是女士送给普通，毫无爱意的男士，如同事和熟人的礼物。女士送给她们有爱意的男士是 Honmei choco 或真爱巧克力。 这会是更高质量和更昂贵的礼物，如手工巧克力，高质量糖果，蛋糕等。
在情人节，我正确的做了一件事。我送了一份礼物给我们最喜欢的男神施厚君。但是，因为不知道韩国情人节的细微差别，虽然花店主人问我是否也想送巧克力，我拒绝了因为觉得太平凡了，只要送最美的花。 哎呀！要是听了那花店主人的话，也许今天的白色情人节我们的施厚君会送礼物给在ParkSihooSsi.com的姐妹们啊！
Who will be so lucky to receive a gift from him on White Day?
如果真的送了，我会感到震惊！不知道他会如何解释他在情人节那天收到的礼物。我们会收到什么样的回礼呢？ 友谊的 Giri choco 或 Honmei choco 表达他温柔的感觉？
是的，我们只能梦想！哈哈哈！😄
姐妹们，白色情人节幸福！행복한 화이트 데이 되세요!
Photo Credits – Many thanks! Park Sihoo Instagram and Weibo, W-Star News, sbs.co.kr, Chupa Chup, tastetyimagechocolate, Nance
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7 Comments
Wow, All Eye Opener stuff for me. Never ever heard of White Day, never ever heard of such men and women gifts exchange etiquette, never realised of such, not from any Korean drama either. Thanks Nance for this insight. Now only I understand the meaning of PSH’s latest instagram photo, so much white. Hmm….he is the type of romantic man who would remember the significance of 14 March White Day. I suspect by 2018 I would have completely forgotten about all these hahaha. Romance is not really my cup of tea, Humour is. Well Nance now that you are aware why woman needed to send chocolate on 14 Feb to a man, let’s see what can be done 14 Feb 2018, kekeke
Topic, good feeling! Festival, was given a sense of ritual moment, it becomes extremely dazzling! The pursuit of emotion, love, love a long, undivided attention, not the feeling of life! Two hearts printed, harmony and warmth, is extremely happy! Chasing the journey, the relationship between the parties, no regrets love again, meet in love every holiday, like a seed of hope, are filled with wonderful vitality of a factor!
Mi ojitos preciosos
Thanks Nance for sharing the significance of the “White Day”, which I have never heard of, when women receive gifts from men. But I also like “Valentine’s Day” too, when men receive gifts from women. Some scientists have studied the mutuality exchanging gifts, calling it ” balanced reciprocity”, revealing the uniqueness of a particular gift exchange. The motives being intended to maximise the gift giver’s satisfaction versus maximising recepient ‘s pleasure too. As on this day “White Day” , men give women gifts, this becomes an act of giving , enabling the giver to feel valuable and generous, but also requiring creativity and recipent empathy. To give something is to give a part of oneself, gifts being considered extremely representational and emotional, allowing givers communicate without the use of language. And I think PSH’s perfect gift for his fans on this day is his posting on his Instagram , spending his time on the ski slope, having a significant meaning for his fans, that he is fine, enjoying skiing, enjoying Nature, trying to chage his batteries “far from the madding crowd”. Thanks PSH for your gift for the :White Day”.
I knew about White Day, but not about the difference in meaning of the kind of chocolate gifts you present to your friends or (secret) love expressed in money’s worth! Happy White Day! 🙂