Why I Hate Valentine’s Day

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

February 2, 2010

Alex Hencken, Assistant A&E Editor  

Filed under Special Features

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we are all anxiously awaiting the exciting and romantic holiday. Just kidding. It’s one of those traditions you either love or hate, and in reality, there’s probably a lot more of us who scorn it than those who count down the days until February 14. What is the reasoning behind the disdain? Many, especially teenage girls, dislike Valentine’s Day because they feel it points out the fact that they don’t have someone to share it with. Others think it is pointless or are sickened by the excessive mushiness they witness throughout the day. Personally, I don’t mind the concept of the holiday, but it’s what it has become that corrupts its credibility.

Valentine’s Day celebrates Saint Valentine, the patron saint of love and happy marriages. Although his precise origins are unknown, he is widely accepted as being a martyr who was imprisoned for marrying Christian couples and helping Christians being persecuted by the Emperor in Rome. But how many people know that? Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a day to celebrate our loved ones in the name of Saint Valentine. However, nowadays it has become more of a celebration for the economy than anything else. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Valentine ’s Day? Roses, greeting cards, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and maybe a stuffed animal or two. And when you think about it, who is it that makes the biggest deal out of the impending holiday? The stores and companies that supply these cliché gifts, of course. Much like Christmas clothing and decorations, Valentine’s Day items hit the shelves long before February even arrives.

We’ve lost sight of the true meaning of the holiday, and it’s become just another reason to spend our money. What saddens me even further is the fact that we’ve come to accept a generic card and some cavity-creating candies as a representation of love. Not that these can’t be given out of love, but, for the most part, the standard Valentine’s gifts seem to be given because they are a requirement for the holiday.

A much better representation of your love is your time. Spending the day with your family, significant other or both is much more valuable than balloons and a teddy bear that sings 80s love songs, and you’ll probably get much more enjoyment out of your day. Of course there is nothing wrong with passing out boxes of Sweethearts to your friends. It’s always cute to give and receive a little something, but don’t let that take the place of a more meaningful way to spend your Valentine’s Day.

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Tags: valentine's day, valentine's day rant