A gentle reexamination of White Day and the "culture of giving back"
A gentle reexamination of White Day and the "culture of giving back"
The story of a small vessel that connects relationships to the future
Now that Valentine's Day is over, the colors of the city have calmed down a bit. White and pale blue packages line the storefronts, and the White Day season quietly arrives.
If Valentine's Day is the "day to give gifts," then White Day is the "day to gently respond to the feelings you have received."
How you respond is different for each person, and it doesn't have to be exaggerated or perfect. Simply, passing on the warmth you received from someone to the future in your own way. I believe that this act is the true essence of White Day.
WABISUKE has always cherished the quiet beauty that resides in this "culture of giving back."
White Day is a day to gently redraw the contours of your relationship
The small package I received on Valentine's Day may not have contained love, but it certainly contained the message, "You and I spend our days together."
White Day is the day to respond to those messages by saying "I received it" and "Thank you."
Giving back is not just an obligation, but rather a delicate and gentle form of communication that gently redraws the contours of a relationship.
Sometimes relationships can't be built with words alone. In fact, small gifts and casual actions can convey the intensity of a relationship more accurately than words. White Day is a day when such "non-verbal exchanges" quietly take hold.
The Japanese kindness that resides in the act of "giving back"
Japan has had a long-standing culture of "returning gifts."
- If you receive a gift, return it with a small gift later.
- If you receive a share, give something else on another day.
- When I receive a New Year's card, I write a reply.
These are all signals that say, "I receive your feelings," and are quiet rituals for aligning your relationship.
White Day is an extension of this.
The act of returning something is not something that binds the other person, but rather something that shows respect for them.
"I care about your feelings." "I want to continue to have a good relationship."
Such gentle feelings are embodied in White Day gifts.
The clasp purse is a small vessel that embodies the "culture of giving back."
WABISUKE's coin purses are often chosen as White Day gifts.
This is because a clasp purse is not just a wallet, but a vessel that receives feelings and connects them to the future.
The "click" sound when you open a clasp purse has a nostalgic and comforting quality to it. It's like the door to your heart gently swinging open.
The feelings received on Valentine's Day are gently rewrapped and returned in a new form, along with the sound they make. The clasp purse is a symbol of this "circulation of feelings."
White Day gifts should be chosen based on their warmth, not their price.
Choosing a gift for White Day can sometimes be a confusing task.
- What should I give in return?
- How much is appropriate?
- Won't it become heavy?
However, the value of a gift is determined not by its price but by its "warmth."
The time you spend thinking about the recipient, the moment you imagine their preferences and lifestyle, the feeling of wondering, "Will this make them happy?" - all of this is quietly contained within the gift.
WABISUKE's purses may not be flashy, but they are certainly memorable.
This is because a clasp is a vessel used in everyday life. Every time you handle it, the warmth of the day it was given suddenly comes back to you. Such a gift will become more valuable over time.
White Day is a day to gently prepare for future relationships
If Valentine's Day is the day to express your feelings, White Day is the day to prepare for future relationships.
The act of giving back is both a way of reciprocating for something that happened in the past and a way of showing how you want to nurture the relationship going forward.
for example,
- Returning a purse to a coworker at work is a sign of looking forward to the future, saying, "I look forward to working with you in the future."
- The purse I give back to my family expresses my gratitude for everyday life and says, "Thank you for everything."
- The purse he returns to his friend is a promise that they will continue to be friends.
White Day is a day that quietly prepares such a "future relationship."