Rose Day to Kiss Day: What each day before Valentine's Day signifies

February 7 is celebrated every year as Rose Day. This day also happens to kick off Valentine Day’s week triggering seven days of activities around the celebration of love and intimacy around the world. It will finally culminate on the big day on February 14.

There is, of course, the well-known legend surrounding Valentine’s Day involving a Roman priest Valentine, who conducted the marriage of Christian couples in love in secrecy. He was sentenced to death by Emperor Claudius II and since then every year February 14 is celebrated to observe the death anniversary of St Valentine.

Week of Love

Rose Day

So, let’s start with the first day of festivity in this seven-day calendar of love. Rose Day which sets the tone for the week of passion and tenderness, is meant to allow people to express their love and affection through the timeless symbol of love—the rose. What makes roses so special? It is believed the Victorians were the first to start this practice of gifting someone you love with a fragrant beautiful rose.

However, on this day not just flaming red roses signifying passion and love are exchanged. Roses of different hues are gifted with each colour conveying a particular emotion.

If red roses are classically about love and romance in its purest form, yellow rose symbolises friendship, platonic love and appreciation. They convey warmth and happiness, making them ideal for friends and family.

For young love, and to fresh starts, it is matter of white roses. They signify purity, innocence, and new beginnings and are meant for the ones we value in life. While pink roses convey gratitude, or a romantic interest more subtly.

Orange roses are a sign that you are ready to take the relationship to another level. For they convey longing, and desire for the other person and signals taking the friendship to the next level.

Propose Day

The next day, on February 8, it is Propose day. This is the day to shamelessly keep your heart on your sleeve and confess your love. It is a day to freely express your love and even propose to their beloved and start on a journey of commitment.

Chocolate Day

Gifting chocolates to your loved one is meant to convey a thousand things about your feelings. It is meant to emphasise the sweetness of your love and is also an expression of intimacy and warmth. Giving each other chocolates speaks volumes beyond the confessions of love.

Teddy Day

What’s it with furry bears that they represent everything that is cuddly and warm. On Teddy Day, lovers gift a teddy bear which seems to say your loved on is adorable, huggable and lovable.

Promise Day

On February 11, lovers exchange vows to love and care for each other. It is the day your seal your love with a promise that you belong to each other. Trust and understanding is cultivated on this day.

Hug Day

Nothing can compensate for a good ole warm hug to convey your love for your beloved. It is an act of offering support that makes them feel cherished and valued. This happens on February 12.

Kiss Day

Naturally, this is an expression of love as old as time. People exchange passionate kisses pledging to love each other, isn't it good to know there is a special day set aside for this on February 13?

Valentine's Day

Finally, the week of romantic love reaches a crescendo on February 14 and this day is observed to celebrate love, intimacy, and togetherness.