Valentine’s Day and me have a long-standing connection. In the words of my dad, I am always guaranteed a card. Valentine’s Day is my birthday. I am the first to admit, there are worse days to be born, but the amount of love on those days does make me feel slightly unwell. Please keep the amount of sickly love that you feel away from me. But my issues span further than the fact that it is my birthday, but rather the creation of valentine’s day as a corporation. A way for companies to make many.
An initial issue with Valentine’s Day is the expense and the expectations that come with it. Social Media is full of celebrities and their celebrations which in turn create unrealistic standards and expectations which make normal people full unhappy. Now, this issue isn’t exclusive to Valentine’s Day, but the amount of social media presence around the 14th of February really makes influencers’ lives look amazing. Companies for weeks beforehand shove in your face that valentine’s day is on the horizon.There is no escaping it, especially with constant emails from companies you’re subscribed to highlighting the fact that there are discounts and deals all in the name of valentine’s day.
Now having dinner with a partner on the 14th, is not really my issue. A nice box of chocolates, maybe some flowers or a small piece of jewellery. I think this is where I draw the line. Social media, as well as the push from corporations, creates these standards in society. The cost of living crisis has drastically lowered the amount of disposable income that couples have. I think it’s so much more important to tell someone that you love them than worry about having the most extravagant gift. Now, I can’t say that I am opposed to all gifts. I think it is a better gift to give someone something that is much more practical or sentimental, than what looks nice on a status update. I would much rather prefer a book that was picked out with me in mind, than an extravagant display of gifts.
Ultimately I think I’ve found my issue with Valentine’s Day. It has lost its true meaning. It is no longer a day about telling the person you love that you love them, but competing against society about who loves someone the most. Instead, we should take time to reflect on those who we love and tell them as such.
“Valentine Patterns 1 of 3 (Love Hearts)” by Today is a good day is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.