Just as 2011 came to end, the government of Peru announced the public holidays for 2012, and one of them surprised many Peruvians.

It was decided that February 13th and 14th would be public holidays, presumably to honor Valentine’s Day. The decision caused quite a stir, with man Peruvians taking to social media sites to discuss the announcement.

However, though the dates create an extended weekend for the love-filled holiday, the director of domestic tourism at PromPeru said the dates coincide with the feast of the Virgen de la Candelaria in Puno and Carnival, which is celebrated throughout the country.

In fact, it was said that the public holiday has nothing to with Valentine’s Day, and was likely intended to promote domestic vacationing during the now-extended weekend.