Valentine's Day countdown
Valentine's Day is February 14 every year. The timer counts down to midnight at the start of February 14 in your own time zone, which leaves you a clear number of days to book a table, order flowers or post a card.
Countdowns run on your device's clock and time zone, so they reach zero at local midnight wherever you are.
Next dates for Valentine's Day
| Date | Weekday | Days until |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | in 118 days | |
| Monday | in 483 days | |
| Wednesday | in 849 days | |
| Thursday | in 1,214 days | |
| Friday | in 1,579 days |
Valentine's Day on the calendar
Valentine's Day 2027 falls on a Sunday, so many restaurants spread their special menus across the Friday and Saturday before. In 2028 it is a Monday, in 2029 a Wednesday, in 2030 a Thursday and in 2031 a Friday. Weekend Valentine's Days are the hardest for restaurant bookings, and popular places can fill up weeks ahead; midweek years are easier but leave less time after work.
Florists order roses months in advance because demand around February 14 is far above any other week, and prices usually rise in the final days. Ordering a delivery several days ahead, rather than on February 13, is the simplest way to avoid sold-out slots.
Where the day comes from and how it differs by country
February 14 is the feast of Saint Valentine, a Roman martyr of the third century about whom very little is known for certain. The link with romantic love appears in English literature in the late Middle Ages, notably in Geoffrey Chaucer's poem Parliament of Fowls, which describes birds choosing their mates on Saint Valentine's Day. Handwritten valentines were common by the 18th century and printed cards took over in the 19th.
Customs vary. In Japan women traditionally give chocolate to men on February 14, and men return the gesture a month later on White Day, March 14; South Korea follows the same pattern. Finland and Estonia call February 14 Friends' Day and celebrate friendship rather than couples. Brazil skips February because of Carnival and celebrates Dia dos Namorados on June 12 instead.
Long-distance plans
If your partner lives in another time zone, February 14 starts for one of you hours before the other. A video call at 8 PM in Los Angeles is already 3 PM on February 15 in Sydney during the Australian summer. The time zone converter helps you pick a moment that is still Valentine's Day on both sides.
Other countdowns
Frequently asked questions
- How long until Valentine's Day?
- The countdown at the top shows the exact days, hours, minutes and seconds until February 14 begins in your time zone, updated every second.
- What day of the week is Valentine's Day 2027?
- Sunday, February 14, 2027. In 2028 it falls on a Monday and in 2029 on a Wednesday.
- What is White Day?
- A celebration on March 14 in Japan and South Korea, when people who received gifts on Valentine's Day give something back, traditionally white chocolate, cookies or candy.
- Which countries celebrate Valentine's Day on a different date?
- Brazil celebrates its lovers' day, Dia dos Namorados, on June 12. Catalonia has La Diada de Sant Jordi on April 23, when couples exchange roses and books.
- Is Valentine's Day a public holiday anywhere?
- No major country gives a day off for it. Businesses, schools and government offices keep normal hours on February 14.