It seems as if a lot of bloggers are up-in-arms about this holiday, especially when the money aspect comes in. I’m feeling a little sorry for poor ol’ Valentine, so here’s my take. 
True, Valentine’s Day is just one day. And true, no one should feel pressured to spend exorbitant amounts of money on dinner. And true, there’s no rule that says you have to comply with an arbitrarily chosen date manufactured by the chocolate-candy-flowers industry to celebrate your love.
But I see it as kind of like, well, all other holidays:
- We SHOULD remember that family is important, every day. But Thanksgiving and Christmas brings out the warm-fuzzies (often neglected because of the rat race).
- We SHOULD love and appreciate our moms every day, but Mother’s Day shines the spotlight on moms everywhere.
- We SHOULD remember that freedom isn’t free, but Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day reemphasize the sacrifices made by our soldiers, living and dead.
That’s why I say: even if your significant other insists that Valentine’s is a overly-commercialized day devoid of any actual meaning, do something nice. A picnic by the beach, a handwritten card, his favorite movie, a cake from her favorite bakery – the good feelings you get in return are worth multiples of what it’ll cost you to put together something simple and heartfelt.
People aren’t very good at being the best person they can be, all the time – we aren’t very good at being great children, or lovers, or citizens. We take things – people – for granted. Sometimes, we just need a reminder.
Which is what Valentine’s is. A reminder that love should be cherished and celebrated.
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We don’t celebrate v.day at all, I don’t want my partner feeling pressured into getting me anything, I’d rather he save that for christmas and my birthday…and I’d much rather a spur of the moment bunch of flowers over a specific dated expensive piece of jewelery.
I know from past valentines the pressure on guys is phenomenal…so yeah we try to just do something nice…but don’t limit that to v.day!
I think your post was beautifully written, and I have to say that I myself like Valentines Day. My guy’s inner romantic doesn’t come out that often, so I look forward to this time (and my birthday and Christmas)…
I usually want to do more on V Day but this year I’m just not into it. Mr M has barely worked in 6 months and I don’t want him feeling like he has to get me something for me to be happy. We’ll just do something together. It would help if it wasn’t supposed to rain all weekend, no picnics, park or beach this year.
Here Here! Well said! I 100% agree with you, which is why Boyfriend and I are doing homemade dinner followed by snuggle time and then we are going out with friends. I don’t need him to buy me flowers (even though they are lovely), all I really need is a hug and some smooches and a reminder from him that he loves me.
Haha, I just wrote a comment that said basically the same thing over on StackingPennies‘s Valentine’s Day post.
I’m not saying we need to give each other diamonds or roses or chocolates. Just that a day that suggests we take time to love each other is not a bad thing.
And for all this “evil corporations forcing us to love each other, rar” talk, the companies are just trying to profit off the fact that we do neglect each other during the rest of the year. Otherwise there would be no market for heart pendants and $50 roses. And making a profit is kind of what the companies are there for.
Bravo, Well-Heeled!
Amen sisterfriend!
I’ll give you that it could be a nice reminder to cherish the one you love. But, I still intensely dislike Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day for that matter. In fact, I think I consistently forget both every year. And it’s not because I don’t care about the people I date or that I don’t cherish my mom.
The difference is that every time I take a trip somewhere I tend to find something unique (like hand-blown glass or things made of natural wood) for my mother because I know she likes those things and I tend to travel to small towns with local artisans fairly frequently. And I don’t do it because she asked, I do it because I thought of her.
I just find it a little ludicrous that we need a “holiday” to celebrate the fact that you think about your partner. I mean it’s not quite the same as Christmas or Thanksgiving which are actually meant to remind us of many things. And as far as Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day – it isn’t just to remember that freedom has a price it is also to honor those who lost their lives defending those values. I think that’s quite different from a commercial holiday simply designed because people are not thoughtful enough.
I wish I had seen this post on Valentine’s Day! Instead I only got to see rants from people who insist it’s a made-up-by-Hallmark holiday (it’s not – it’s been celebrated **as Valentine’s day** in one form or another since Chaucer’s time) and that nobody should have anything to do with it.
Your post sums up my own feelings about it perfectly.
Glad I found it even a month after the fact!