Oh my goodness, you guys.
I got so many White Day gifts again this year.
Yummy chocolate.
Yummy candy.
It’s like they want me to gain weight.
But I’m too happy with these delicious gifts to care!
White Day is a holiday that started in Japan.
It’s a day to return the favor for the gifts
you received on Valentine’s Day.
And as women give to the men on Valentine’s Day in Japan
White Day is usually when the women receive gifts from the men.
This tradition is said to have come from the Japanese way
of always returning the favor when you receive a gift.
This actually used to drive me crazy.
Like when I sent my friend a gift when she had her baby
she sent me back a small hand towel gift.
Or when we gift money at the wedding reception
and we receive a bag of thank-you-for-coming gifts in return.
It never made sense to me.
Why do we give you a gift to celebrate
if you’re going to give something back to us?
Why not just a thank you note?
Now I feel like I have to give you something else
in return for the gift you gifted me for my gift to you.
(see? all these gifts get super confusing!)
But I’ve learned that we Japanese do this
because we have a strong sense of community.
(thus giving leads to receiving)
Also heard that we Japanese dislike being in debt to others.
(thus receiving leads to giving)
And through all these cultural characteristics of Japan
White Day came to be a holiday to return Valentine’s Day gifts in 1978.
And that is why I get boxes of delicious gifts
in return for my Valentine’s Day cookies on White Day!
Quite the holiday, huh?
Kaori Square Feet 
neverending gift party 😉
LikeLike
Quite a holiday indeed! I gotta be honest, it's kinda taken me some time to get used to too… But I do like the sentiment. 🙂
Happy White Day!
LikeLike
When you put it that way…! 😀
LikeLike
All you need to do is understand the dynamics of gifting. I agree, I like the sentiment, too 😉
LikeLike