Love and Friendship Day
September 19
About Love and Friendship Day
Love and Friendship Day, known in Spanish as Dia del Amor y la Amistad, is celebrated on the third Saturday of September, which in 2026 falls on Saturday, 19 September. It is a Latin American celebration of both romantic love and friendship, most widely observed in Colombia, where it functions as the national equivalent of Valentine’s Day. The day is marked with gifts, meals, and the popular gift-exchange game known as amigo secreto.
What is Love and Friendship Day?
Love and Friendship Day is an annual celebration of affection in all its forms, covering couples, friends, family members, and colleagues rather than romantic partners alone. In Colombia it replaces the February Valentine’s Day observed elsewhere, and it is treated as one of the country’s most commercially significant occasions. People exchange gifts, share meals, and take part in amigo secreto, a secret-friend gift game similar to Secret Santa that runs in workplaces, schools, and friendship groups in the weeks leading up to the day.
When is Love and Friendship Day?
Love and Friendship Day falls on Saturday, 19 September 2026. It is a variable-date observance, always held on the third Saturday of September in Colombia, so the calendar date shifts slightly from year to year. The table below shows the date for the next five years.
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Saturday, 19 September |
| 2027 | Saturday, 18 September |
| 2028 | Saturday, 16 September |
| 2029 | Saturday, 15 September |
| 2030 | Saturday, 21 September |
Why Love and Friendship Day Matters
Love and Friendship Day widens the focus of a romantic occasion to include friendship, which gives people without a partner a place in the celebration. Its origins trace to a broader Latin American tradition of honouring friendship as a force for community and goodwill. In Colombia the day also carries real economic weight, ranking among the busiest retail periods of the year for restaurants, florists, and gift shops, particularly as September has few other major holidays. For families and friendship groups, the amigo secreto exchange turns the occasion into weeks of anticipation rather than a single date.
How to Celebrate Love and Friendship Day
Whether you are marking romance, friendship, or both, there are many ways to take part.
- Organise an amigo secreto – Set up a secret-friend gift exchange with colleagues or friends, drawing names in advance and revealing gifts on the day.
- Share a meal – Book a restaurant or host a gathering at home, since shared food is central to how the day is celebrated.
- Give a small, thoughtful gift – Flowers, sweets, and handwritten cards are traditional, and the focus is on the gesture rather than the cost.
- Reach out to a distant friend – Call or message someone you have lost touch with to mark a day that is as much about friendship as romance.
- Celebrate friendships at work – Many Colombian workplaces run their own exchanges and lunches, so it is a natural moment to recognise colleagues.
- Learn the tradition – Read about how the day developed across Latin America and why Colombia moved its date to September.
The History of Love and Friendship Day
The tradition of dedicating a day to friendship took root in South America during the twentieth century. One of its best-known advocates was the Paraguayan doctor Ramon Artemio Bracho, who in 1958 promoted the idea of a day celebrating friendship as a way to strengthen community ties, an idea that spread through the region in the years that followed.
In Colombia the celebration took on its distinctive September date in 1969. Rather than follow the February Valentine’s Day common in the United States and Europe, Colombian retailers and organisers shifted the occasion to the third Saturday of September. February sat awkwardly between the December holiday spending and the start of the school year, so moving the date gave households a clearer window to celebrate and supported a quieter month in the retail calendar.
Since then, Dia del Amor y la Amistad has grown into one of Colombia’s most popular annual occasions, blending romance, friendship, and the amigo secreto game into a single celebration that now runs across the country.
Fun Facts About Love and Friendship Day
- In Colombia the day is set on the third Saturday of September, unlike the fixed February date used for Valentine’s Day elsewhere.
- The move to September dates back to 1969 and was partly driven by commercial timing.
- Amigo secreto, the secret-friend gift game, is one of the most recognisable customs of the day.
- The celebration honours friendship as well as romantic love, making it more inclusive than a couples-only occasion.
- Friendship-focused observances across Latin America share roots with the idea promoted by Paraguayan doctor Ramon Artemio Bracho in 1958.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Love and Friendship Day?
It is a Latin American celebration of love and friendship, most prominent in Colombia, where it serves as the national version of Valentine’s Day and includes the amigo secreto gift exchange.
When is Love and Friendship Day in 2026?
It falls on Saturday, 19 September 2026, the third Saturday of the month.
Why is Love and Friendship Day celebrated in September?
Colombia moved the celebration to the third Saturday of September in 1969 because September had few major holidays and the date avoided the financial pressure of the post-Christmas and back-to-school period.
Spread the Word
Share Love and Friendship Day with your community using #LoveAndFriendshipDay and #LoveAndFriendshipDay2026. Whether you organise an amigo secreto or simply reach out to a friend, every gesture helps keep this warm tradition alive.
Related Awareness Days
- International Peace & Love Day – Another celebration that places love and goodwill at the heart of the occasion.
- National Love is Kind Day – A day focused on kindness within loving relationships of every kind.
- National Couples Day – A day celebrating partnerships and the bonds between couples.
Links
2026 Awareness Days Wall Planner
Every key awareness day at a glance. Perfect for offices, staff rooms, and team planning.
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