Ben: Hello
everyone! Welcome back to Everyday English Talk. I am Ben.
Anna: And I
am Anna. We are so happy to be with you again for another special episode.
Ben: Today
is going to be a lot of fun because we are talking about my favorite holiday: Valentine's Day.
Anna: I
know you love Valentine's Day, Ben. You love the red roses,
the expensive
dinners, and the chocolate hearts.
Ben: Exactly!
It is the same everywhere, right? Love is a universal language.
Whether you are in New York, London, or Tokyo, Valentine's Day is the
same. Men buy flowers for women, and we go out for a romantic dinner.
Anna: Well,
Ben, I have to stop you there. Do you really think Valentine's Day is the
same everywhere?
Ben: Yes...
isn't it?
Anna: No,
not at all! Actually, every country has a different custom. In some places,
men don't give gifts at all!
Ben: Really?
That sounds very strange to me.
Anna: It is
true. Today, we are going to take a trip around the world. We will look at how
people celebrate
love in Japan, South Korea, Finland, and back here in the USA.
Ben: Wow,
I feel like a traveler already.
Anna: In
this episode, we will learn about "White Day," "Friend's Day,"
and why American children bring a box of cards to school.
Ben: We
will learn phrases about traditions, exchanging gifts, and celebrating
friendship.
Anna: As
always, you can download the free PDF transcript and vocabulary exercises on
our website.
Ben: So,
Anna, where is our first stop on this world tour?
Anna: We
are going to Asia. Pack your bags, Ben!
# Japan & South Korea (Women Give
Gifts)
Ben: Okay
Anna, we have landed in Tokyo, Japan. It is February 14th. I am
ready to buy some flowers for a nice lady. Where is the flower shop?
Anna: Put
your wallet away, Ben! In Japan, and also in South Korea, men do not buy
gifts on Valentine's Day.
Ben: Wait,
what? Men don't buy gifts? So, who buys the gifts?
Anna: The
women do! In these countries, it is a tradition that women give
gifts to men on February 14th.
Ben: Wow!
That sounds like a great holiday for me! I just sit there and receive
chocolate?
Anna: Yes,
basically. But it is a little bit complicated. It is not just for husbands or
boyfriends. Women often give chocolate to their male coworkers,
their bosses, and their male friends.
Ben: That
is very generous. So, if I work in an office in Tokyo, I might get a lot of
chocolate from my female coworkers?
Anna: Yes.
But there are two types of chocolate. First, there is "Giri-choco."
This translates to "Obligation Chocolate." This is cheap
chocolate that you give to your boss or colleague just to be polite. It doesn't
mean "I love you." It just means "I respect you."
Ben: "Obligation
Chocolate." That is a funny name. It sounds like a duty,
not a romance.
Anna: It is
a duty.
But then, there is "Honmei-choco." This is "True
Feeling Chocolate." This is expensive, high-quality
chocolate. Or sometimes, it is handmade sweets.
Ben: Handmade? You
mean she cooks it herself?
Anna: Yes.
If a woman likes you romantically, she might melt the chocolate in her kitchen
and make a special shape for you. That is a sign of true love.
Ben: That
is very sweet. I would love to receive handmade chocolate. So, the men just
say "thank you" and that is the end?
Anna: No,
Ben. There is a catch. You cannot just take the chocolate and run away. You
have to wait exactly one month.
Ben: One
month? What happens in March?
Anna: On
March 14th, they celebrate a holiday called "White Day."
Ben: White Day? I
have never heard of that. What do people do on White Day?
Anna: On White Day,
the men must return the gift. And here is the rule: the man's gift must
be three
times more expensive than the gift he received!
Ben: Three times more expensive?! Oh
no. Suddenly, I don't like this tradition anymore.
Anna: Haha!
Yes, it can be expensive for the men. If she gave you a box of handmade
cookies, you might have to buy her jewelry, a nice white handbag, or
very fancy white chocolate.
Ben: That
is a lot of pressure. So, February is happy for men, but March is expensive for
men.
Anna: Exactly.
It is a balance. But recently, some people in Japan are changing this tradition.
They think it is too much stress for everyone. But it is still very popular.
Ben: It is
fascinating how different it is from America. Here, we exchange gifts
on the same day. But there, it is split into two days.
Anna: Yes.
And in South Korea, they even have a third day called "Black Day"
on April 14th.
Ben: Black Day? Let
me guess... is that for sad people?
Anna: Kind
of. It is for single people who didn't get any gifts on Valentine's Day
or White
Day. They go to a restaurant and eat black noodles together
to complain about being single!
Ben: That
is hilarious! I think I would enjoy Black Day too. Eating noodles
with friends sounds fun.
Anna: See?
Every culture has a unique way to celebrate love-or the lack of love!
Ben: I
think I prefer the American way, but I respect the Japanese custom.
It is very organized.
Anna: It is
very organized. Now, are you ready for our next stop? We are going to a colder
place.
Anna: Now,
let’s take a closer look at some of the great phrases we used in our talk.
Ben: I am
ready! Let’s explain them to our listeners.
Anna: First
- Give
chocolate. This is the action of presenting sweets to someone. In
Japan, women do this first. Example: "She decided to give chocolate
to her crush."
Ben: Second
- White
Day. This is a holiday on March 14th in parts of Asia
where men give gifts back to women. Example: "He bought a white teddy bear
for White
Day."
Anna: Third
- Handmade
sweets. These are candies or cookies cooked at home, not bought at a
store. Example: "Handmade sweets show more effort than
store-bought ones."
Ben: Fourth
- Return
the gift. This means to give a present back to someone who gave you
one earlier. Example: "I need to return the gift he gave me last
month."
Anna: Fifth
- Tradition.
This is a custom
or belief passed down from generation to generation. Example: "It is a tradition
to eat turkey on Thanksgiving."
Anna: So
listeners, what do you think? Do you think women should give gifts
first?
Ben: Let
us know in the comments! Tell us your opinion: "Yes, it's fair" or
"No, men should give first."
# Finland & Estonia (Friend’s Day)
Ben: Brr!
It is cold here, Anna. Where are we now?
Anna: We
are in Northern Europe. Specifically, we are looking at Finland and Estonia.
Ben: Okay.
So, is Valentine's
Day romantic here? Do they have candlelight dinners in the snow?
Anna: Well,
couples do celebrate, but these countries have a very special idea. In Finland,
February
14th is not called "Valentine's Day." It is called
"Ystävänpäivä."
Ben: "Yst...
Ystävänpäivä"?
That is a very long word! What does it mean in English?
Anna: It
translates to "Friend’s Day."
Ben: Friend's Day?
Really? So it is not about romance at all?
Anna: It is
more about friendship than romance. It is a day to celebrate
friendship. People send cards and small gifts to their best friends,
their neighbors, and their family members.
Ben: I
actually love that idea. You know, Valentine's Day can be very lonely
for single
people. If you don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend, you feel sad on
February
14th. But in Finland, nobody feels sad.
Anna: Exactly!
That is the beauty of it. Everyone gets to participate. You can send a card
to your best
buddy from high school. You can give a flower to your grandmother.
It is about all kinds of love, not just romantic love.
Ben: It
takes the pressure off. In America, there is so much pressure to find a
"perfect date." People get stressed trying to make reservations at
expensive restaurants. But if it is just Friend's Day, you can just
go for coffee.
Anna: Yes.
It is much more relaxed. In Estonia, it is the same. They call it "Sõbrapäev,"
which also means Friend's Day. They even have special "Friendship
Buses" where single people can ride and meet new friends!
Ben: A Friendship Bus?
That sounds like so much fun. I would definitely ride that bus.
Anna: It
reminds us to remember your friends. Sometimes, when people get into
relationships, they forget their friends. This holiday reminds us that friends
are important too.
Ben: That
is a very healthy attitude. Do they still send cards?
Anna: Yes.
In fact, Finland is the second biggest country in the world for sending Valentine's
cards, after the USA. But the messages are different. Instead of
writing "Be Mine," they write "Thank you for being my friend."
Ben: That
is very touching. "Thank you for being my friend." It is
simple, but powerful.
Anna: It
is. And it teaches children that love isn't just about kissing. Love is about
caring for people. It is not just for couples.
Ben: I
think the rest of the world should copy this idea. Maybe we should change the
name in America too.
Anna: We
have "Galentine's Day" now, which is similar, but that is
unofficial. In Finland, Friend's Day is the official name on the
calendar.
Ben: I
really respect that. It makes the cold winter feel much warmer when you know
your friends care about you.
Anna: Absolutely.
It is a day of inclusivity. "Inclusivity" means
including
everyone. No one is left outside in the cold.
Ben: So,
on this day in Finland, I would buy a gift for you, Anna.
Anna: And I
would buy a gift for you, Ben. Because we are friends!
Ben: I
like this tradition
the best so far. It feels very honest.
Anna: I
agree. But there is one more place we need to visit. We need to go back home to
the USA, but we need to travel back in time to when we were children.
Ben: Back
to school? Okay, let's go!
Anna: It’s
time for our vocabulary practice. Let’s review the most useful expressions from
this part.
Ben: Good
idea! Learning how to use these will help everyone speak more naturally.
Anna: First
- Friend’s
Day. This is the name for Valentine's Day in Finland, focusing
on platonic love. Example: "I sent my sister a card for Friend's
Day."
Ben: Second
- Celebrate
friendship. This means to do something special to honor your
friends. Example: "We went out for pizza to celebrate friendship."
Anna: Third
- Best
buddy. This is a casual term for a best friend. Example:
"He and his best buddy go fishing every weekend."
Ben: Fourth
- Remember
your friends. This means not forgetting to show care to your
friends. Example: "On holidays, it is important to remember
your friends."
Anna: Fifth
- Not
just for couples. This means the event includes single people
too. Example: "This party is open to everyone, not just for couples."
Anna: So
listeners, what is your preference? Do you prefer a romantic day or a friendship day?
Ben: Let
us know in the comments! Share with us: "I prefer a friendship
day because..."
# USA & UK (Cards for Everyone)
Ben: Okay
Anna, we are back in the USA. But we are not adults anymore. Imagine we are ten
years old, and we are in an elementary school classroom.
Anna: I
remember it clearly. The classroom is decorated with pink and red paper
hearts. There are streamers on the ceiling. It is a very exciting day for kids.
Ben: It
really is. In the USA and the UK, Valentine's Day is a huge event for
children. But it is very different from adult Valentine's Day.
Anna: Yes.
For adults, it is about romance. But for kids, it is about community. Ben, do
you remember the "mailbox" tradition?
Ben: Oh,
yes! Every year, a few days before Valentine's Day, we had to bring a shoe box
to school. We would cover the shoe box with construction paper, glitter, and
stickers. We cut a hole in the top. That was our personal mailbox.
Anna: I
loved decorating my mailbox! I used so much glitter. And then,
on the day of the party, we had to bring cards. But there was a
very important rule. Do you remember the rule?
Ben: Yes.
The rule was: if you bring cards, you must bring one for everyone.
Anna: Exactly.
You cannot just give a card to your best friend or the girl you like.
You have to give a card to all your classmates.
Ben: Everyone is included. If
there are twenty-five students in the class, you have to buy twenty-five cards.
Anna: I
think that is a wonderful rule. It prevents bullying. It ensures that no child
feels sad or lonely. Imagine if everyone got a card except for one
student. That would be terrible.
Ben: It
would be heartbreaking. But because of the rule, at the end of the day, every
student dumps out their mailbox, and they have a pile of twenty-five cards.
It makes you feel very popular!
Anna: And
the cards
are usually funny. They have cartoon characters on them, like superheroes or
animals. They say things like "You're Super!" or "You're
Purr-fect!" with a picture of a cat.
Ben: And
we cannot forget the candy. We didn't just exchange gifts of
paper. We exchanged candy too.
Anna: The
famous "Conversation Hearts." Those little hard candies with
words printed on them.
Ben: Yes!
They said "Be Mine," "Kiss Me," or
"True
Love." To be honest, they didn't taste very good. They tasted
like chalk!
Anna: Haha!
They did taste like chalk. But we ate them anyway because it was sugar.
Ben: It
was a big school
party. The teacher would give us cupcakes with pink frosting. We
would drink fruit punch. We didn't do any math or reading that afternoon.
Anna: It
was a day of pure joy. It taught us how to be generous. We had to write the
names of all our classmates on the envelopes. It took a long time
to write twenty-five names!
Ben: My
hand would hurt after writing all those names. But dropping them into the box of candy
and cards
was so satisfying. Walking around the room, putting one in Anna's box, one in
Tom's box, one in Sarah's box.
Anna: It is
a very sweet American tradition. It makes the holiday feel
innocent. It is not about "dating." It is just about being nice to
the people you sit next to every day.
Ben: I
miss those parties. Adult Valentine's Day is much more stressful. You have
to worry about reservations and expensive jewelry. In school, you just needed a
cardboard
box and some stickers.
Anna: Maybe
we should bring that tradition to our office, Ben. We should make shoe box
mailboxes for our desks.
Ben: I
would love that! I will bring the Spiderman cards for everyone.
Anna: And I
will bring the cupcakes. But maybe let's skip the chalky heart
candies.
Ben: Agreed.
We can buy good chocolate instead.
Anna: So,
we have seen Japan's expensive chocolates, Finland's friendship
celebration, and America's classroom parties.
Ben: It
really shows that love has many different shapes.
Anna: It
does. Whether it is romantic, friendly, or just being a kind classmate,
it is all worth celebrating.
Anna: We
used some interesting idioms and phrases just now. Shall we explain what they
mean?
Ben: Definitely!
I think our listeners will find these very helpful for their daily lives.
Anna: First
- Classmates.
These are the students who are in the same class as you at school. Example:
"I invited all my classmates to my birthday party."
Ben: Second
- Exchange
gifts. This means to give a gift and receive a gift at the same
time. Example: "We exchange gifts on Christmas morning."
Anna: Third
- Everyone
is included. This means nobody is left out; the whole group
participates. Example: "The game is fun because everyone is included."
Ben: Fourth
- Box
of candy. A container filled with sweets. Example: "He bought a
box
of candy for the movie."
Anna: Fifth
- School
party. A celebration held inside a school, usually for a holiday.
Example: "We had a Halloween school party last week."
Anna: So
listeners, we are curious about your childhood. Did you celebrate Valentine's Day
at school when you were young?
Ben: Let
us know in the comments! Tell us: "Yes, we had a party" or "No,
we didn't."
#Listener Challenge
Anna: Now
it’s your turn!
Ben: Let’s
practice what you learned today.
Anna: First,
a listening challenge. Can you name the two countries where women give
gifts to men first? Listen again if you need to.
Ben: Second,
a speaking challenge. Say this sentence aloud three times: "Happy Friend's
Day to my best buddy!" Focus on speaking slowly and clearly.
Anna: Third,
a writing challenge. Write three sentences in the comments. Tell us: Do you
prefer the Japanese style (separate days) or the American style
(one day for everyone)?
Ben: Remember,
small practice every day helps you improve your English skills.
Anna: That’s
right! Just one step at a time.
#Summary
Anna: Let’s
review what we learned today. We learned that in Japan and Korea, women give
chocolate first, and men return the gift on White Day.
Ben: We
discovered that in Finland, it is called Friend’s Day, so you
can celebrate
friendship with your best buddy, not just a partner.
Anna: And
finally, we talked about American schools where classmates exchange gifts
so that everyone
is included in the school party.
Ben: Let's
repeat 5 important phrases slowly one more time: Give chocolate. White Day.
Friend's
Day. Classmates. Everyone is included.
Anna: Remember,
English learning is about practice and patience! Don't worry if you don't know
every single word yet.
Ben: That's
right. Keep listening and keep practicing every day!
Ben: Thanks
for listening to Everyday English Talk!
Anna: We
hope you enjoyed our trip around the world for Valentine's Day.
Ben: Don’t
forget to download the free PDF transcript and vocabulary exercises to practice
what you heard today.
Anna: So
listeners, tell us in the comments - which country's tradition do you
like the most?
Ben: We
love reading your stories and seeing how you use your new English phrases in
your daily life.
Anna: Bye
for now!
Download Transcript Try the exercises here
