Celebrating Día del amor y la amistad the Mexican Way

The Mexican Valentine's Day is all about the celebration of love and friendships

Mexicans are fans of holidays or just about anything that gives them a reason to splash some colors and celebrate. It then comes as no surprise that Mexicans love to celebrate Valentine's day as well. Unlike a number of Mexican festivals, which usually depict something historical or superstitious in nature, Valentine's day or Dia del amor y la amistad (The day of love and friendship) is a more straightforward celebration of love and affection.

It's not all about romance

We're all used to seeing Valentine's Day celebrated amongst lovers, right? If so, what does that make of single Mexican men and women? Luckily, Mexicans are all about showing love and affection not just to their romantic partners, but also towards their friends and families.

If you want to celebrate the love season as a Mexican does, express your love towards every person you hold dear in your life and spend time with family and friends. If you are dating a Mexican woman, show to her how much you appreciate her. Little tip? Show affection towards her entire family as well, that'll surely get you your ticket of approval!

Gifts? What am I supposed to give?

Gifts are always a part of any celebration, however, there are also guidelines to what kind of gifts you give for specific occasions as well. You wouldn't want to receive a fancy picture frame on Valentine's day right?

There are traditional gifts that Mexicans give to one another on Dia del amor y la amistad. Mexicans don’t necessarily give away over-the-top expensive gifts, although if you want to give her a new car, feel free to do so.

Some of the more traditional gifts not just in the state of Mexico, but for Valentine’s Day all over the world are chocolates, flowers, and pretty much anything shaped like a heart. These are all good gifts, don’t get me wrong, but you can always put in a little more effort in showing your affection.

You can try writing poems, or try making them a romantic dinner. Any little gesture that tells them how much you love them on Día del amor y la amistad.

An Explosion of Red

This means exactly what it says. Whenever the love season is just around the corner, Mexico City turns into a place vibrant with the color red.

Restaurants, cafes, and even barbershops all decorate their spaces with hearts and other love themed objects, all of which are predominantly red.

If you want to make a romantic dinner for your significant other, it’s always best to keep in tune with the theme of the celebration. Keep it red, you can always throw in different shades to have a more hot and cool shade of red.

Beauty in Simplicity

Valentine's Day in Mexico is all about celebrating love and friendship. After all the glitz and glamour, those are what truly matters anyway. Find the beauty in simplicity when celebrating with loved ones.

Mexicans often go to fancy restaurants on this day, and places are usually booked weeks before the 14th of February. You can avoid the expenses and the hassle of getting a reservation by hosting your own intimate dinner.

This way, you get to spend time in an intimate gathering with your loved ones while also showing them how much they mean to you. After all, love is the theme of Día del amor y la amistad, isn't it? And that in itself is quite simply beautiful.