VIEW THIS PAGE Single people who thought they had successfully weathered a pink-and-red storm of chocolates, flowers and annoying heart decorations on Valentine’s Day will have to sit through another indignity this Saturday — White Day.
The holiday, which originated in Japan and is also celebrated in South Korea, is observed to varying degrees in other East Asian countries. In Japan, women give chocolate to the men in their life on Valentine’s Day; the guys then return the favor by showering their paramours with goodies on White Day.
If you found out at the last moment that your ladylove celebrates White Day (or just decided that she celebrates White Day), don’t panic. There is still plenty of time to find an appropriate present.
The traditional White Day gift is chocolate in white packaging. Patisserie Sadaharu Aoki on the ground floor of Breeze Center (微風廣場) sells chocolates, macaroons and other treats by its namesake, a bakery chef who worked in Paris for 10 years, creating confections for clients including Yohji Yamamoto, Christian Dior and Chanel before opening his first boutique. His sleek chocolate Bonbons Maquillage come in a rainbow of colors, like an upscale version of M&M’s. Macaroons in pretty pastel shades are also available by the dozen. Patisserie Sadaharu Aoki’s goodies don’t run cheap — a dozen bonbons will set you back NT$1,200 — but their elegant white packaging and Japanese pedigree make them a surefire hit for White Day.
If your sweetheart does not have a sweet tooth, head over to Hands Tailung (台隆手創館) on the sixth floor of Breeze Center (微風廣場). The well-organized department store sells an eye-popping array of housewares, cosmetics, crafting supplies, stationery and kitchen supplies from Japan. Just make sure not to pick anything from Hands Tailung’s prodigious selection of cellulite creams or fat-busting “massage” girdles.
Francfranc, two floors below Hands Tailung, is another Japanese import that sells home decorating accessories. For NT$980, you can buy your darling a white-flocked coin bank molded to look like a smiling bunny rabbit. NT$499 will get you a transparent plastic apple-shaped container, which can be filled with your beloved’s favorite candy and a note written in your best cursive telling her that she is the apple of your eye.
Sogo’s Fuxing branch also offers plenty of gift ideas. Ju Ju Ama on the department store’s fifth floor sells soft toys and accessories inspired by zakka, the home decorating movement that originated in Japan. You can buy a whimsical keychain wallet by the brand UglyFamily (NT$280) or a colorful Lego brick pendant (NT$300). Japanese accessory maker Bowu Si Ko Bo (帽子工房) on the same floor offers charming hats, including a gray UV-deflecting number (NT$2,750) that is reminiscent of the cloches worn by women during the Great Depression — highly appropriate given the current global economic crisis.
If you are really short on time, 7-Eleven is currently having a promotion to coincide with the start of strawberry-picking season in Japan. Cheerful red displays are packed with plenty of imported Japanese strawberry-flavored treats, including what has to the largest selection of pink Pocky and Pocky-like stick cookies ever gathered in one place. If your honey hates artificial strawberry flavoring, don’t despair. You can pick up a bottle of ume liquor, with large plums floating inside, for NT$299, or a box of Hello Kitty chocolates for just NT$65.
If all your White Day efforts fail, you can take comfort in the fact that Black Day is right around the corner. The informal holiday originated in South Korea and has quickly picked up steam among unattached people irritated by the onslaught of Valentine’s and White Day marketing. On April 14, bachelors and bachelorettes will gather and celebrate the fact that as singles, they are free to buy their own chocolate anytime they damn well please. VIEW THIS PAGE
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