White Day
March 14th – White Day～～～(ホワイトデー)
I’m sure most people have heard of White Day. This special day is dedicated to responding to Valentine’s Day. Let’s look at the history, significance, and activities of the Japanese on this day.
White Day is believed to have originated in 1977-1978 with a Fukuoka-based confectionery company, Ishimura Manseido. An executive read a letter in a letter in a women’s magazine that stated, “Men receive chocolates from women on Valentine’s Day. But why do women receive nothing in exchange? Whether it’s handkerchiefs, candies, and even marshmallows…” (Valentine’s Day is a day when women give chocolates and gifts to others in Japanese tradition.) As a result, come up with a marketing strategy and have female employees in the company vote on the day they want to be “Return Gift Day”. They all agreed to make it March 14, one month after Valentine’s Day, and name it Marshmallow Day itself. The company has created a new especially dessert for this day, white marshmallows filled with chocolate. This means that “I take the chocolate I received from you, wrap it up with my white heart.” The name was later changed to White Day to be more open-ended, and it became popular throughout Japan around the 1980s, and this tradition is also used in other countries in Asia.
On White Day, it is a Japanese tradition for the man who receives a Valentine’s Day gift to prepare a gift to thank and reciprocate the woman. Whether accepting or denying that feeling. If they accept love, the gift must be three times the value of whatever they had received prior. Each gift given to the woman carries a connotation. As an example:
• Marshmallow – means “I can’t reciprocate your feelings” or “I don’t like you” because marshmallows melt quickly, conveying unsustainable love.
• Cookies – means “Let’s be friends”, because most cookies are crunchy and break easily, and they come in a variety of ingredients and flavors. It is like a relationship that is not strong and is a normal relationship that doesn’t feel anything special.
• Candy – means “I love you” because candy is a sweet dessert that remains sweet after melting and leaves a sweet taste in your mouth, conveying a long-lasting love.
• Macaron – means “You are my priority,” because macarons are difficult to make and expensive. Giving implies that you are special.
Knowing this, if anyone is going to give a gift on White Day, remember to choose carefully so that the meaning is not distorted from what you want to communicate. Alternatively, you may choose to give other items such as clothing, accessories, or bags as well. I wish you all happiness and fulfillment. on White Day.
