Valentine's Day Musing

Valentine’s Day

I’ll admit I like Valentine’s Day.

Because it’s definitely a woman’s holiday. And we need more of those.

I found myself irritated by the amount of anti-Valentine’s day hate that is spewed by the mouths and writers of our local and World Wide Web authors. Everyone wants to bash on it, yelling the tired phrase of “corporate holiday” and “shallow.”

I don’t find it to be shallow at all to have a nationally recognized day of gifting your spouse or S.O. with either an item bought or an item made. And the people I find that put of the most fuss are the ones that don’t want to spend money one someone else. Seriously.

 

“If he/she loves me then they don’t need to get something.” They shriek at the sight of my cooing over the upcoming day.

“Well of course they would love you regardless, but wouldn’t they be disappointed if you didn’t do anything?”

“It shouldn’t matter!” and then this is usually followed by some tirade of how the corporations are making money off of us on this day, which is exactly why we should do everything in our power to do something that doesn’t fund the holiday.

Short of slapping on the name “Valentine’s Day” and maybe adding more red and pink to the usual pickings of the market – you’re really not spending any difference between that Hershey’s bars you pick up at the market. Or that card you’d buy. Or the construction paper and glitter you purchase to make your own. I’m really not certain why people get up in arms over “one day” when we spend 364 other days of the year getting screwed over on gas prices and rising essentials (food and clothing for example.) Where are our bleeding hearts and outraged speakers for those?

Instead we get bashed over the head for trying to celebrate a harmless holiday of expressing your love towards one another. And you should talk down on the person who decides to spend some money on a bouquet of flowers and a card – or buy those chocolates in the heart shape. Just because you don’t’ want to do it doesn’t mean everyone else in the world shouldn’t either. So sure – hate on the holiday – and I think its good to encourage people to think “outside-the-box” in gifting people… but outright labeling anyone who does purchase items as “uncreative” or “shallow” is just plain rude.

 

Another point is people like to say, “It’s just another day, why should I do anything special?”

If you think about it, do you really take the time to show your S.O. the amount of thought and express it (through card, gift or words) any other time of the year? Maybe when you’re going through something hormonally or maybe when you’ve had a few too many drinks or the snow starts to fall at midnight on Christmas Eve… but seriously. I know I don’t think about it or really do much – and I feel that Valentine’s Day is a good reminder.

But a good point is, we should make an effort more than once a year, three times a year to show how much we love a person. And for some people, buying someone a bouquet and chocolates is how they do it. And that’s just fine.