White Day is a romantic holiday celebrated in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. The holiday falls on March 14, one month exactly after Valentine’s Day. Tradition in these countries holds that women are supposed to give men romantic gifts on Valentine’s Day, while men are supposed to return the favor on White Day.
Valentine’s Day in parts of Asia has expanded beyond the Western version of the holiday. Instead of giving gifts to spouses or boyfriends, some women in Japan feel duty-bound to present gifts of chocolate to all male co-workers. The tradition is called giri-choco, combining the Japanese word for obligation with the common word for chocolate. Girls may also give honmei-choco, candy to loved ones, or tomo-choco, candy for friends.
In 1978, the Japanese National Confection Industry recommended that men return the favor on March 14th, not coincidentally boosting confection sales. The day was originally called Marshmallow Day, as Ishimura Manseido, a candy company, created marshmallow treats specifically as gifts for this new holiday. Other companies soon followed, specializing in white chocolate treats. The day eventually became referred to as White Day, although gifts of regular dark chocolate are now common.
Gifts given on White Day often exceed the simple presents of Valentine’s Day. Presents to lovers and wives are supposed to be expensive, such as lingerie or jewelry. Men also conform to giri-choco, returning the favor to female co-workers out of obligation. This can occasionally lead to confusion, as romantic gifts can be mistaken for obligatory ones and vice-versa.
Some scorn is leveled at the celebration, as it is considered by some to be a purely commercial holiday. The confusing issues of obligation and romance are seen by some as a desperate attempt to boost chocolate sales. This has led some Japanese and Westerners to label White Day a “Hallmark Holiday,” using guilt and social obligation to boost sales of gift items.
In recent years, a new tradition has been created in Korea called Black Day. This is comparable the ironic American tradition of Singles Awareness Day, a holiday that bitterly mocks the prevalent romantic traditions of Valentine’s Day. Black Day is held on the 14th of April, one month after White Day. Traditionally, those who received no Valentine’s or White Day gifts gather in restaurants or at parties to eat noodles in black bean sauce.
White Day is a relatively new holiday, but seems to be quite popular throughout Japan. One informal survey of 13,000 Japanese citizens suggested that around 57% purchased or received gifts for the holiday. Three percent, or about 390 respondents, said that they gave or received between five and twenty gifts. Despite detractors, the holiday appears to be gaining more fans each year.
白色情人节的起源：
最早诞生于1977年，由日本福冈市博德区的甜点(菓子)制造商「石村万盛堂」所发起，以鼓吹收到心意的一方应该要回礼给对方，作为促销糖果的手段，节日最早称为「糖果赠送日」(キャンデーを赠る日)。自1980年起，因为糖果所使用的砂糖是白色，所以改称为「白色情人节」。
3月14日是白色情人节。白色情人节流行于日本、中国台湾等地区，是我们所知道的西方情人节的延续，在送礼方面也不同：具体为2月14日男方送女方一份礼物，主要是玫瑰花或者巧克力。(只是中国大陆和英美法)3月14日白色情人节，就该轮到女方送男方礼物了。(日本，中国台湾是刚好相反的，2月14日是女生送巧克力，3月14日是男生回礼~) 在日本，通常欲告白的女方会在情人节(2月14日)的时候送礼给心仪的对象，而收到礼物的一方，则会在3月14日回礼并告诉女方自己的心意。亚洲部分地区的年轻人亦会庆祝这个节日。
又叫返情人节，指的是在情人节收到礼物，则在一个月后的3月14日回馈礼物，当然仅仅是回馈你想回的那个人。
不久后，巧克力制造商发现他们也可以在这个节日中获利，因此也开始促销白色的巧克力。现在，在这一天要回礼时，除了糖果与白巧克力之外，还包括其它各种礼品。
目前关于情人节与白色情人节，到底是男先送礼还是女方先送礼，已不再有定论，重点是这样的节日让有情有缘的男女双方都有一个可以发挥与表达自我心意的时机，相关的商人们，当然也就乐得大发利市了。
根据日本全国饴菓子工业协同组合的解说，「白色情人节」定在3月14日的原因是由于公元三世纪时，罗马帝国皇帝克劳狄二世在首都罗马宣布废弃所有婚姻的承诺，下令全国男子都要从军。一名叫华伦泰(Sanctus Valentinus)的神父没有遵照这个旨意而继续为相恋的男女举行婚礼。事情被告发后，华伦泰神父被罗马政府捸捕，最后在公元270年2月14日这天被送上了绞架被绞死。而在一个月后的3月14日，这对获救的恋人宣誓恋情将至死不渝，为纪念这天于是另定为白色情人节。但是这个解说是完全没有历史根据的。一开始，3月14日是没有名字的，与2月14日一样都叫做“情人节”。
“love”漫画后来，人们为了把两个节日区分开来，便将3月14日定为“白色情人节”。
白色在欧洲国家看来是纯洁、清纯、有灵性的，就好像年轻的少女一般，就像西方人结婚要穿白色婚纱。这便成为了“白色情人节”名称的重要来源之一。因为逐渐的流传与发展，“白色”所代表的更是期盼与幸福，是对恋人的祝福。
“白色情人节”最早起源于三世纪时的罗马。罗马皇帝在2月14日救了一对因为原本因违反恋爱结婚禁令而要被处死的恋人，罗马皇帝为了纪念这一天而设立了情人节。而在一个月后的3月14日，这对获救的恋人宣誓恋情将至死不渝，为纪念这天于是另订为白色情人节。而此节日就从欧洲开始流传到世界其它地方。
(编辑：Sally)