Giri choco facts for kids
A bag of giri choco
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| Type | Chocolate |
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| Place of origin | Japan |
| Main ingredients | Chocolate |
Giri choco (義理チョコ, lit. "obligation chocolate") is a special kind of chocolate given in Japan. It's given by women to men on Valentine's Day. This chocolate is a customary gift, meaning it's a tradition.
It's different from chocolate given to boyfriends or husbands. Giri choco is given to male co-workers, bosses, or friends. It shows appreciation and politeness, not romantic love. Later, men often give gifts back to women on a day called White Day. This day is celebrated on March 14.
Contents
What is Giri Choco?
On Valentine's Day in Japan, women give giri choco to men. This chocolate is usually not expensive. It is given to show thanks and respect to male co-workers and friends. This is different from honmei choco, which is given to someone you love romantically.
Japan has a strong culture of giving gifts. The exact start of giving chocolate on Valentine's Day is not fully clear.
How the Tradition Started
One popular idea is that the trend began with junior high school girls. They would give handmade chocolate to boys. This was a way to see if the boys liked them back.
Later, in the mid-1950s, companies started selling Valentine's chocolate. The first big Valentine's sale happened in 1958 at a store called Mary Chocolate.
Harumichi Yamada, a professor, suggests that giving chocolate helped women express their feelings. At one time, it was not common for women to show love openly. Chocolate companies used this idea to sell more chocolate. As women's roles in society changed, Valentine's Day became a day for women to give chocolate to men. This is how the giri choco custom grew.
Another idea from Sachiko Horiguchi is that giri choco became popular in the 1980s. Working women felt they had to give chocolate to their co-workers and bosses. This fit well with Japanese company culture and gift-giving traditions.
Chocolate Sales and Spending
Japanese chocolate companies make a lot of their money around Valentine's Day. About 70% of their yearly business comes from this holiday. In 2005, people spent around $400 million on Valentine's Day chocolates.
In 2007, the average woman spent about $36 on giri choco. By 2019, this amount dropped to about 1,033 Japanese yen.
White Day Connection
The tradition of White Day started in the 1980s. On White Day, men give gifts back to women. This tradition began as a way to boost sales for companies. White Day gift sales are often very high if Valentine's Day sales were also high.
See also
In Spanish: Giri choco para niños
