Saturday, March 14, 2009

White Day= A most horrid holiday

As if Valentine's Day weren't bad enough, Koreans and Japanese celebrate another horrendous holiday founded on expectations and guilt. March 14, known as White Day, is when those who received gifts of fondness on Valentine's are supposed to return the favor with candies, jewelry or flowers. Shops across Seoul and Tokyo are stocked to the gills with gawdy baskets and White Day gift sets for people (usually guys) to give to others. I distinctly remember White Day as one of my worst days in Korea. In fact, when I think about White Day I imagine myself as a deranged Joan Crawford screaming, "No White Day everrrrr!!!!"