Classic · 3rd Saturday of September
Amor y Amistad: Colombia’s Valentine’s Day
In Colombia, lovers’ day doesn’t fall in February but in September, and it isn’t just for couples: friends are celebrated too. Why the date was moved, what secret friend is and which flowers to give.
- When
- 3rd Saturday of SeptemberSep 19, 2026 · Sep 18, 2027
- Where
- Colombiasince 1969
- What to give
- Roses and sunflowersand the secret friend gift
- For whom
- Partners and friendsclassmates and coworkers too
Why Colombia celebrates in September
Amor y Amistad is the Colombian version of Valentine’s Day, but on a different date. Until the late 1960s, Colombia celebrated February 14 like the rest of the world. In 1969, at the request of retailers, the celebration was moved to the third Saturday of September. The reason was practical: in February families were still paying off Christmas and back-to-school expenses, so hardly anyone had money for gifts.
September was also a month without big holidays in the Colombian calendar, so retailers gained a strong date in the second half of the year. More than half a century later, the change has taken such hold that for most Colombians Valentine’s Day is September.
| Date | What is celebrated and why | Flower | Color | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd Saturday of September | Amor y Amistad (Love and Friendship Day) Colombia has celebrated its own Valentine’s Day in September since the 1960s. It is for partners and friends alike, secret Santa included. | Roses and sunflowers | Red | Colombia |
Love… and friendship
The other difference from Valentine’s Day is in the name. At first the date was only for couples, but over the years it was extended to friendship, so that people without a partner would also have something to celebrate. Today it is just as normal to give something to a friend, a classmate or a coworker as to your boyfriend or girlfriend.
That changes the kind of gift, too. Not everything has to be red or romantic: a cheerful flower, some chocolates or a handwritten card are just as good. And since everyone gives something to someone, the Amor y Amistad weekend is one of the biggest for Colombian retail, with sales up by around 30%, according to Fenalco Bogotá.
Secret friend
The most Colombian tradition of the day is amigo secreto (secret friend). It is played in schools, universities, offices and groups of friends, and it works like this:
- Everyone’s names are written on slips of paper and each person draws one without showing it.
- During the days before (sometimes a whole week), each person leaves small gifts for their secret friend without revealing who they are: a sweet, a note, a flower.
- On the day of the celebration a final gift is given and everyone finds out who their secret friend was.
There is usually a budget so nobody is left looking bad, and flowers are a safe bet: a single rose or a sunflower on the desk, with an unsigned note, is one of the most talked-about gestures of the week. It is the same idea as Secret Santa, which in Spain is called amigo invisible and is mostly played at Christmas.
Which flowers to give on Amor y Amistad
- For your partner: red roses, the universal code for love. If you want to go beyond the usual, a bouquet of roses and lilies or the flower you both love.
- For your friends: cheerful flowers, such as sunflowers, gerberas or yellow roses. Yellow is the color of friendship (it’s explained in the meaning of colors).
- For your secret friend: a single flower, a small bunch or a desk plant, which lasts longer than a bouquet.
- For the group: a large bouquet of mixed flowers for the table at the celebration.
Colombia has an advantage few countries have: it is one of the world’s largest flower producers. Thanks to its mountain climate, roses, carnations, alstroemerias and chrysanthemums are grown all year round, so September is no problem season-wise. What is in short supply is time: florists fill up with orders, so it’s best to order your bouquet a few days ahead.
Amor y Amistad and yellow flowers, in the same week
Ever since the September 21 yellow flowers trend went viral in 2021, Colombia has had two flower dates almost back to back. In 2026, Amor y Amistad falls on Saturday the 19th and yellow flowers arrive on Monday the 21st. Some people combine them into a single gift, with a bunch of sunflowers at the weekend, and others take the chance to give twice: roses to their partner on Saturday and yellow flowers to their friends on Monday.
What about other countries?
In the rest of Latin America February 14 is also often called Día del Amor y la Amistad (Day of Love and Friendship), and in Mexico, for example, it is as normal to give something to friends as to a partner. What is unique to Colombia is the September date. If you have friends in other countries, the full calendar tells you when it falls in each one, and the page on dates for giving flowers in Colombia lists all the dates of the year there.
Remind me 3 days before
Download the reminder and open it with your phone’s calendar: it repeats every year and alerts you three days before, so you have time to order the bouquet.
Frequently asked questions
When is Amor y Amistad in Colombia?
On the third Saturday of September. In 2026 it falls on September 19 and in 2027 on September 18.
Why does Colombia celebrate Amor y Amistad in September?
Because in 1969, at the request of retailers, it was moved from February 14 to the third Saturday of September. In February people were still paying off Christmas and back-to-school expenses, and September had no major celebration.
Which flowers are given on Amor y Amistad?
Red roses for your partner and cheerful flowers, such as sunflowers, gerberas or yellow roses, for friends. For secret friend, a single flower or a small bouquet with a note works very well.
What is secret friend (amigo secreto)?
A game played for Amor y Amistad: each person draws a slip of paper with a name and for a few days gives that person small gifts without revealing who they are. On the day of the celebration everyone finds out who their secret friend was. It is similar to Secret Santa.
Is February 14 also celebrated in Colombia?
More and more people celebrate it, influenced by social media and other countries, but the traditional Colombian date is still the third Saturday of September.
