Catalan Culture: Valentine's Day vs Sant Jordi

It would have been really lovely if I were to write that Valentine's Day is not celebrated in Catalunya, avoiding therefore that wave of consumerism which usually characterise the week preceding the 14th of February. As a matter of fact, I must admit that, at least for what I have seen in the last few days, the effect of this quite recent tradition have made themselves felt also here. Although, it seems to me that it is with less exasperation, at least in comparison to Italy, that the recurrence of Valentine's Day is celebrated.

The most evident signs of the arrival of the lover's celebration in Vilanova i la Geltrù were mainly pink balloons appearing here and there in the streets and shop windows, along with the inevitable hearts and a few people selling roses in the street. At least, as far as I am concerned I had no evidence of special menus offered on Valentine's Day or abuse of sweets and chocolate, two features which characterise this celebration in Italy.

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However, the reason for this partial underestimation of the lover's celebration is probably that Catalan people already have a similar celebration, which in my opinion is by far more fascinating and interesting than Valentine's Day. Indeed, it is on the 23rd of April, instead of the 14th of February, that women normally receive a rose as a gift. On the day of Sant Jordi, the saint patron of Catalonia, men usually buy presents (normally a rose) for their dears: not only wives or girlfriends may receive the gift, but also mothers, sisters or friends. Moreover, women are not the only ones to get presents: it is also tradition for men to receive one, generally a book, with the same criterion previously explained for women. As a result, it is quite frequent, on the days preceding the 23rd of April, to have spectacular stalls in the streets, offering roses and books in preparation for the upcoming feast. In other words, a far more democratic and reasonable tradition!

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