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Dia del Amor y la Amistad
Valentine's Day Latino Style

Dia del Amor y la Amistad

El Dia del amor y la Amistad, el Dia de San Valentin or el Dia de los Enamorados is the equivalent to Valentine's day around the world. Latino culture is famous for being expressive, pechichones, cariņosos, melcochudos, etc., therefore many Latin people love to celebrate this day.

How Hispanic Countries Celebrate Valentine's

Throughout Spanish speaking countries many street corners offer flowers, boutiques decorate their windows with chubby cupids, home stores offer special glassware for the occasion, and lingerie takes center stage. We, Latin women, are famous for adorning ourselves and wanting to lucir or look our best on special occasions like this day.

Speaking to some Latinos who are first generation in the U.S., I found that back in their country some did not celebrate this holiday as much as they do so here in the U.S. This is how some friends told me they celebrate.

Mexicans celebrate and love this holiday. Restaurants are crowded, flowers are a must, and gifts are a great symbol of love. Did you know Mayans are the creators of chocolate? This is a precious gift from America to the world!

For Venezuelans and Colombians this is a big holiday. Colombia is also the number one exporter of flowers on this day, even though we celebrate el Dia del Amor y la Amistad on September 17, celebrating on February 14 is becoming more common.

Chileans, Argentineans, Bolivians and Ecuatorians celebrate on February 14 El Dia de los Enamorados, and in Ecuador like in Colombia, men still serenade woman. It is a beautiful tradition!

In Puerto Rico is called El Dia de San Valentin and young people enjoy giving chocolates, stuffed animals and note exchanging the most. The celebration starts by honoring St. Valentin who is the patron of love. There are many public parties and family gatherings to celebrate the day.

True Latin Culture Traditions for Valentine's

  • Serenading is when a man sings or hires a group of musicians to sing love songs to the loved one at night when she is already asleep.
  • Playing amigo secreto or secret friend is when all names of the players go inside a bag and each person blindly chooses one to give to. We play this game at schools.
  • Giving native orchids to your loved one is a tradition in Colombia and Peru. For many these flowers are more significant and beautiful than roses.
  • Public parties, dances and events are common throughout Latin and Central America, even in small towns where we hold them at the plaza. Music, famous bands, games and raffles are part of the occasion.
  • Dedicating songs and poems to friends and loved ones on the radio is also a tradition. We have wonderful music genres like tango, bolero, guasca, and other that pretty much help us express our feelings.

    • No matter how you celebrate, make sure you tell the important people in your life "I love you."
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    Hispanic Facts
    in the U.S.

    One in seven people in the United States is of Hispanic origin.


    Hispanics are a mix of European, African and Native American people.


    In 204 B.C. Romans created the term Hispanic to identify inhabitants from the Iberian Peninsula
    which encompass Spain and Portugal today.


    The term Hispanic was adopted in the U.S. in the 1970s by the federal government in its census questionnaires.


    The U.S. is the fifth largest Hispanic country in the world.


    St. Augustine and Santa Fe were Hispanic cities founded before Plymouth.


    Spanish is the fourth most frequently spoken language in the world.


    Twenty countries speak Spanish as their first language.


    70% of the Hispanic population lives in five states: California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois.


    Hispanics are the largest minority in the U.S.


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