Learn all about Valentine's Day
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
| Culture Class: Holidays in the Philippines, Season 1, Lesson 15 - Valentine's Day |
| Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- Holidays in the Philippines Series at FilipinoPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Filipino holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 15, Valentine's Day. In Filipino, it’s called Araw ng mga Puso. |
| Just like in other countries, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the Philippines on the 14th of February. A lot of Filipinos, especially lovers, in Filipino called magkasintahan, prepare for this day in order to remind and show their loved ones how much they treasure them. |
| In this lesson, we will learn about the romantic traditions of Filipinos during Valentine’s Day. |
| Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question- |
| Mass weddings held every Valentine’s Day are growing popular in the Philippines. How many couples took and renewed their wedding vows in 2012? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening. |
| For lovers, exchanging roses, or rosas, and chocolates, or tsokolate, is a classic Valentine’s tradition, and these are sold at malls and shops all over the Philippines. And since many Filipinos are true romantics at heart, you can find romantically themed deals everywhere—from malls, restaurants, and hotels, to carnivals. |
| Many people specifically choose this day to confess their feelings and begin courting the person they like. Of course, when it comes to courtship, one can’t help but think of serenades, or harana, which are one of the most common courtship traditions in the Philippines. In the past, kundiman, which are traditional Tagalog love songs, were the only songs sung for harana, but nowadays, any romantic song is acceptable. Expressing one’s feelings through song is never a problem, no one dares judge an expression as pure as a harana, even if the person cannot sing well. Whether it’s Original Pilipino Music or a foreign song, as long as it reflects your feelings and you have the guts to do it, you can openly sing your heart out to the person you have feelings for. |
| Of course, there’s no discrimination against singles in the Philippines. Whether you can’t find a partner, are shy when it comes to romance, or just choose to be single, don’t worry! “Singles Only” parties are held all over big cities. You never know, you might just meet your fated one right then and there. |
| A fun fact: usually, it is teachers who receive the most Valentine’s cards. So, if you’re single, and you plan to be single for the rest of your life, but don’t want your Valentine’s Days to be lonely, you now know the perfect job for you! |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question- |
| Mass weddings held every Valentine’s Day are growing popular in the Philippines. How many couples took and renewed their wedding vows in 2012? |
| In 2012, over 2,000 couples took and renewed their wedding vows during mass weddings held by local governments. It doesn’t matter whether the wedding is elegant or not; what’s important is the solemn vow of love these couples take. |
| How did you find this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting? |
| What do you do to celebrate Valentine’s Day in your country? |
| Leave us a comment telling us at FilipinoPod101.com! |
| And I’ll see you in the next lesson! |
Comments
Hide