Love is universal, of course, but dig a little deeper and you will find that traditions and customs vary across the world and everyone does the dating, courtship and marriage thing a little differently and along the way, some pretty weird traditions crop up. We’ve done a little digging and come up with some strange – and funny – customs from different places across the world. We’ll be sticking to the normal coffee, lunch and dinner dates, ta.
1. Wife-carrying world championships – Finland
Every year in Sonkajarvi, Finland, this bizarre sporting event sees men from across the globe slinging their wives or girlfriends over their shoulders and undertaking a variety of challenges. The winner receives their partner’s weight in beer and much kudos. In recent years the Estonians have dominated the leader boards, much to the dismay of the local Finns who have been wife carrying for centuries!
2. Chicken liver checking – China
The Daur people of China have an ancient tradition, which sees engaged couples dissect a chicken and inspect its liver together, obviously. If the liver looks healthy then they set a date for the wedding but if not, they have to continue looking for a good liver. Think we’ll chicken out of that one, ta.
3. White Day – Japan
On Valentine’s Day in Japan women buy white chocolate for the men they are dating, while the guys just sit back and enjoy it. A month later they celebrate White Day, where the guy, should he be interested in the girl who gave him the chocolate, must give her twice as much as he received. That month-long wait must be pretty painful…
4. Love spoons – Wales
In Wales, if a man falls for a woman he gives her a meticulously carved spoon as a sign that he will always provide for her. If she doesn’t feel the same, she gives the spoon back (awkward!) but if she does, she wears the spoon around her neck for a number of days. Aaah!
5. Love huts – Cambodia
Fathers of the girls of a Kreung tribe in Cambodia’s north-east areas are more liberal than most fathers we know. They encourage them to explore as many men as they want until they finally find their one true love and actually build them love huts in which to do so and send them up there to get busy! Interestingly, divorce is almost non-existent among its people.
6. Apples under arms – Austria
An ancient custom in 19th century Austria saw eligible women putting slices of apples under their armpits during dances. At the end of the evenings, she gave the apple to the man who had caught her eye and if he liked her too – he would eat it! (Thankfully this ritual has long since died a death, much to the relief of Austrian men all over, we imagine, and apples everywhere…)
7. Hounen Matsuri – Japan
On March 15, there is an ancient fertility rite called Hounen Matsuri, where a group of 42-year-old men (42 is thought to be an unlucky age in Japan) carry a 12-foot long er, todger towards a shrine. Women follow carrying smaller versions and it is considered lucky for members of the crowd to ‘touch the todgers’ as they make their way through the crowds. Stop sniggering.
Heard of any other strange customs in other parts if the world? Tell us @lovestruck
Tweet
