A gingerbread heart hanging at a market in Augsburg, Germany
Stereotypes aside, Germans are actually pretty romantic. To NewsFeed’s surprise, nearly 70% of German couples have penned pet names for one another. If your German beau refers to you as a schatz, don’t be alarmed. It might sound like an insult, but he means you’re a treasure.
Since the end of World War II, Valentine’s Day, or Valentinstag, has grown increasingly popular in Deutschland. When the big day comes, Germans have gone beyond the western staples and added a few traditions of their own such as the heart-shaped gingerbread cookies.
A well-known Valentine’s staple and tourist attraction, these gargantuan sweets are sold in markets all over Germany, Yahoo! reports. They typically come with a ribbon attached so young men can drape the desserts around the shoulders of their sweethearts.