White Day in East Asia is March 14th, which can be understood as an alternative to Valentine’s Day.
In certain Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea or Taiwan – unlike in Europe – girls and women give gifts to boys and men on Valentine’s Day – mostly with chocolate – as an expression of affection and love. On White Day, the men thank the women with a present, usually in the form of chocolate, sweets or other small gifts. Nowadays, the counter-gifts can be much more valuable for couples.
The day was launched at the suggestion of a pastry chef in 1977 and was first celebrated as Marshmallow Day in 1978. The idea was picked up by various confectionery manufacturers and massively advertised over the years. Meanwhile, this holiday is firmly anchored in the public consciousness. White Day got its name from the fact that the companies addressed mainly concentrated on white confectionery (white chocolate, marshmallows) as gifts, as the color white stands for luck.
