Love it or loathe it, another Valentine's Day is just around the corner.
不管你喜不喜欢,又一个情人节马上就要到了。
And while you may be choosing cards and planning candlelit dinners, other couples around the world are preparing quite differently.
你也许在挑选卡片并策划烛光晚餐,而此时来自世界各地的其他情侣正在做着不同的准备。
In Japan, for example, women don't receive gifts from men at all, they give them. A month later on March 14th, however, men can return the favour on what is known as White Day.
比如,在日本,女士根本不会收到男士的礼物,她们是送礼物的一方。不过,一个月之后,也就是3月14日,男士可以在“白色情人节”回礼。
In South Africa, women write down the name of the person they are besotted with and pin it to their sleeves; while in Germany, the pig is viewed as a symbol of lust and is often seen on cards and presents.
在南非,女士写下自己深爱的人的名字并将其缝在袖子上;而在德国,猪被视为欲望的象征,猪的形象经常会出现在卡片和礼物上。
In Finland and Estonia, the 14th of February is actually Friend's Day - an occasion to celebrate non-romantic kinships.
在芬兰和爱沙尼亚,2月14日实际上是朋友节——人们在这一天庆祝非情侣的亲密关系。
And if you want to avoid Valentine's Day altogether? You'll be in good company in Saudi Arabia, where it's strictly banned. There is even a black market for red roses.
如果你想完全逃避情人节,那么你可以在沙特阿拉伯找到志同道合的人,在那里情人节是严令禁止的。该国甚至存在红玫瑰的黑市交易。