Unlike in the US, where men
spend more on Valentine's day than their female counterparts, in Japan it is the women who spend more. The
tradition of giri-choco, meaning "obligatory chocolates", is making
some women bitter. The tradition basically means that women are supposed to give a box of chocolate to most of the men
they know, including teachers and coworkers, in addition to boyfriends or husbands. The tradition began in the
1950's when the Japanese president "admired how American women could express their feelings to men, and thought it
would be good if Japanese women could do the same" and chose to endorse the celebration of Valentine's Day. Surveys
revealed that women are none too happy with this custom, nor are their pocketbooks, since the holiday generates over
$420 million dollars (50 billion yen) in sales. Men are supposed to return the favor by purchasing chocolate for women
next month, on White Day, March 14th, though the same surveys reveal that men are not to keen on that day.Posts with tag dollars
Obligatory chocolates
Unlike in the US, where men
spend more on Valentine's day than their female counterparts, in Japan it is the women who spend more. The
tradition of giri-choco, meaning "obligatory chocolates", is making
some women bitter. The tradition basically means that women are supposed to give a box of chocolate to most of the men
they know, including teachers and coworkers, in addition to boyfriends or husbands. The tradition began in the
1950's when the Japanese president "admired how American women could express their feelings to men, and thought it
would be good if Japanese women could do the same" and chose to endorse the celebration of Valentine's Day. Surveys
revealed that women are none too happy with this custom, nor are their pocketbooks, since the holiday generates over
$420 million dollars (50 billion yen) in sales. Men are supposed to return the favor by purchasing chocolate for women
next month, on White Day, March 14th, though the same surveys reveal that men are not to keen on that day.









