Celebrating Valentine's Day in Kabul

February 14 is known as "Valentine's Day" and is celebrated in most countries of the world. After the fall of the Taliban regime, Afghanistan is one of the countries that celebrates this day.

On this day, the shops of Golforoshi Street and some other areas of Kabul are decorated with colorful gifts and fresh flowers, and dozens of young boys and girls come to these places to buy flowers and gifts.Valentine's Day is one of the most important days for lovers around the world who can leave a romantic memory for their love. On Valentine's Day, lovers make a romantic date and spend the day together. 

Of course, this day, like other special days of the year, has its own customs. These young people say that love can no longer be hidden and lovers express their love. February 14 is Valentine's Day in Western culture to express love, but a corner of Kabul is also home to broken-hearted girls and boys who have reunited.The lover should celebrate this day. Afghan youths celebrate this day while high traditions in Afghan society are in conflict with celebrating this day.

One of the young people said in a conversation with the reporter of "My Voice Weekly Newspaper": We have been celebrating Valentine's Day in this flower shop for several years and we cut a branch of flowers for the person we love. 

Another young man says about this custom: It is very good, we feel that we can freely offer a girl or a boy to our friend, to someone we really love, to our lover, to our lover and this day to celebrate.Shirin is another young man who has come here to buy flowers for the happiness of his new partner. He, who is a resident of Kabul, says: I want to give my fiance a flower branch, which might be a small gift for others.

Nazi, one of the girls who had a bouquet of flowers in her hand at Shahranu flower shop, told me about this day: I bought this bouquet for my fiance and this day is a very good day for all lovers. I want them to buy a gift and make them happy." 

Narges Ghazal, who came with two of her friends to buy flowers for her fiance at the flower shop, said with a smile that she wants to buy a beautiful bouquet for her fiance. She doesn't think so. He said that buying flowers is only for boys, adding: I want to surprise him with this bouquet and surpass him in offering flowers. On this day, flower sellers talk about the prosperity of their business. 

Ahmad Naveed, who owns a flower shop in Kabul city, says: "In recent years, most of the young people celebrate this day, the price of flowers has increased because the weather is cold and flowers are imported from India and Pakistan. 

He added: "Although the price of a flower on this day is between 70 and 80 afghani, young people buy each other for happiness" and celebrating this day is not in any way following the actions of the infidels, but is an appreciation of friendship and love between In addition to flower shops, markets, restaurants and some other places are also hot on this day. 

Some restaurants have arranged concerts and special programs on this day. The explosion and the bad economic situation of this country could not take away these joys from its citizens.

Having endured all these problems, they still haven't lost their hope for tomorrow and by welcoming happy celebrations and customs, including celebrating this day, they try to open a door to happiness in their lives at any cost. Valentine was the first person to write the Valentine letter for the first time. 

While he was in prison, he fell in love with a young girl who was his jailer. Valentine was executed on February 14 and the world recorded this day in his name.

Some believe that "Valentine's Day" has a religious background in Christianity, and some consider it, like many other Christian occasions, to be derived from old Mithraic customs and rituals. However, there is also a popular story among some people that a person named Valentine was the first person to write a "Valentine letter" and fell in love with the jailer's daughter while in prison. And his love did not arrive.

It seems that he was imprisoned on 23 Bahman for any reason and charge, and after that this day was registered in his name. Whatever the origin and background of this occasion, this day has been widely celebrated every year in most countries of the world for a long time, and in recent years, the youth of Afghanistan have also become familiar with it and try to celebrate it. Giving gifts to loved ones on Valentine's Day is spreading in Afghanistan, while most of the religious scholars consider this issue completely haram/ forbidden and illegitimate.

Whatever the origin and context of this occasion, this day has been widely celebrated in most countries of the world for a long time, and in recent years, the youth of Afghanistan have become familiar with it and try to celebrate it with a gift to their loved ones.