Brazilians skip Valentine’s Day in February and instead celebrate Dia dos Namorados, or “Lovers’ Day,” on June 12th. In addition to the usual exchanges of chocolates, flowers and cards, music festivals and performances are held throughout the country. Gift giving isn’t limited to couples, either. People celebrate this day of love by exchanging gifts and sharing dinner with friends and relatives too.

The equivalent to Valentine’s Day in China is Qixi, or the Seventh Night Festival, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month each year. During Qixi, young women prepare offerings of melon and other fruits to the goddess Zhinu in hopes of finding a good husband. Couples also head to temples to pray for happiness and prosperity and at night, they look to the heavens to watch the stars.

This Scandinavian wonderland has embraced February 14th with a Danish twist. Rather than roses, friends and sweethearts exchange pressed white flowers called snowdrops. Another popular Danish Valentine’s Day tradition is the exchange of “lover’s cards.” While lover’s cards were originally transparent cards which showed a picture of the card giver presenting a gift to his sweetheart, the term is now synonymous with any card exchanged on Valentine’s Day.

(Read more: 10 Easy And Romantic Hair Ideas For Date Night)

An age-old tradition that hasn’t seen the light of day for awhile in the UK involves a bunch of herbs. On the eve on Valentine’s Day, women in England used to place five bay leaves on their pillows — one at each corner and one in the center — to bring dreams of their future husbands. Alternatively, they would wet bay leaves with rosewater and place them across their pillows.

Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world, so it’s little wonder France has long celebrated Valentine’s Day as a day for lovers. It’s been said that the first Valentine’s Day card originated in France when Charles, Duke of Orleans, sent love letters to his wife while imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415. Today, Valentine’s Day cards remain a popular tradition in France and around the world.

Originally, Italians celebrated Valentine’s Day as the Spring Festival. Italians celebrate Valentine’s Day with gift exchanges between lovers and romantic dinners. One of the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts in Italy is Baci Perugina, which are small, chocolate-covered hazelnuts wrapped with a romantic quote printed in four languages.

(Read more: 15 Of The Most Iconic On-Screen Couples Of All Time)

Valentine’s Day is a popular holiday for young couples in South Korea. On February 14th itself, women woo their men with chocolates, candies and flowers. The tables turn on March 14th, a holiday known as White Day, and it’s the man’s turn to up the ante. There’s also a third holiday: Black Day. On April 14th, it’s customary for singles to mourn their solitary status by eating dark bowls of jajangmyeon, or black bean-paste noodles.

While Valentine’s Day celebrations in the Philippines are similar to celebrations in Western countries, one tradition has swept the country on February 14th: Mass weddings. Couples sharing a wedding date have gained popularity in the Philippines in recent years, leading hundreds of couples to gather at malls or other public areas around the country to tie the knot or renew their vows.

Like many parts of the world, South Africa celebrates Valentine’s Day with festivals, flowers and other tokens of love. It’s also customary for women in South Africa to wear their hearts on their sleeves on February 14th! How? Women pin the names of their love interest on their shirtsleeves. In some cases, this is how South African men learn of their secret admirers!

(Read more: 10 Date Night Ideas For Every Type Of Couple This Valentine’s Day)

People in Wales celebrate Saint Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers, on January 25th. One traditional romantic Welsh gift is a love spoon. As early as the 17th century, Welsh men carved intricate wooden spoons as a token of affection for the women they loved. In modern times, love spoons are also exchanged for celebrations such as weddings, anniversaries and births.