By Staff Writer
Valentine’s Day was massively celebrated in Kampala. Actually it was the most celebrated feast, surpassed by the Christian festivities of Christmas and Easter. The emphasis was on couple love, where ladies measured if they were really the one for their partner (if they’re not asked out, inquiries kicked off. So maybe better not to take that risk). Dressing red or giving flowers was part of the tradition. As you might expect there was a boost in the sale of contraceptives around this time.
Valentine’s Day in Masaka
In this new city in central Uganda, the celebration did not follow a special African way. Going out for movie nights or dinner, as well as enjoying the special offers that business make for this day were very common activities among young couples. Also, to keep the meaning and substance of this day, the exchange of gifts between lovers could be ignored.
Valentine’s Day in Mukono and Jinja
Here we continue with the western influence, so they celebrate in a very similar way to the UK. In this sense, the Jinja and Mukono Valentines bought their loved ones’ flowers and/or chocolates, while others went out for a nice meal. Valentine’s promotions were all over the place, from shops to hotels and restaurants that wanted to be part of the celebration. Also, the red and black colours were important when dressing, especially in Jinja, just to mark the day.
Some people make a big deal about Valentine’s Day, while others don’t. However, shops, restaurants and streets accompanied those who loved to celebrate it with red, white and black decoration items. Like others districts we’ve talked about, big sales and dinners were an important part of this celebration.
However, if you didn’t have a partner you didn’t have to celebrate alone because affection was not only for couples. That’s why in these towns was also common that friends and family got together to show affection to each other.
Valentine’s Day in many Ugandan districts does not differ that much from what you are used to. It is being celebrated more and more every year. This could be a sign of globalization and the increased exposure of young people to this western festival. As more people celebrate, of course consumption goes up. So it doesn’t matter on which continent you are, the environmental impacts that this celebration has are the same. That’s why now we invite you to read and learn about how to celebrate the lovers’ day in a sustainable way.