As each holiday seems to be more and more commercialized, none are as much of a “Hallmark holiday” as Valentine’s Day. As soon as New Year’s comes and goes, stores and commercials will be stocked with hearts and chocolate for the big day. “Find the right gift for your significant other,” and other similar quips on advertisements are spewn across the store.
But what’s the point of it all? Material gifts and signs of affection cannot possibly encapsulate love. What’s Valentine’s Day about really, and how can it be made special, for relationships or otherwise?
“To me, Valentine’s Day is very sentimental and special,” said Tyler Manwarren, a freshman marketing major. “If you’re single, hang out with your friends just to be with people that you love.”
Sentimentality and affection are key elements of the holiday, and should be taken into account whenever it rolls around. Valentine’s Day should be letting the people in your life know that you care, whether through gifts or displays of affection. We can so often forget about the people in our lives thanks to materialistic distractions (ironically so), and Valentine’s Day is a chance to show someone you really care.
On a holiday that is all about “love,” it can be hard for those without a special someone in their lives to feel included. Expensive necklaces, earrings, and other beautiful gifts can give off more of a glare than they’re worth to the unwanted observer, and it’s easy to feel alone or left out.
All the talk of special gifts can seem an ill-fitted gift for just a normal friend. However, the key is that the materialistic side of Valentine’s Day is not the focus; the holiday can be just as well-spent with friends and loved ones as a significant other. You just have to find a way to make the day meaningful with someone you’re close to.
“I’ve never been one to buy into the ‘traditional’ hearts and flowers kind of Valentine’s Day,” said Beth Swanson, an adjunct English professor. “The most I can say is to set aside time to either spend it with anyone you care about or to do something that you love.”
Ironically, what Valentine’s Day seems to be missing is heart. Flowers and candy are good reminders, but should never be a replacement for real, sentimental confessions of affection. And not just for couples, anyone in your life can stand to hear that you love and appreciate them. Instead of focusing on relationships, the holiday should be representing love in its purest form, and everyone should remember that going into it.
As the winter begins to show signs of halting and spring seems just over the next hill, it can do someone a great deal of good to remember those they love in their lives. Just as there are many different kinds of love, there are many different ways to spend a special Valentine’s Day.
In a sense, Valentine’s Day is about people. People you love, people you care about, etc. Whether they’re your significant other or not, you should spend it with someone you care about. Love is the message here, and that can often become drowned in the unending flow of jewelry store commercials or discount heart-shaped candy in convenience stores. People take for granted their own connections with their loved ones, and it’s a shame Valentine’s Day does not seek to strengthen that connection.
“Valentine’s Day should be a day to tell someone you love them, not just a day for couples,” explained Liz Roderick, a freshman psychology major. The truth is that Valentine’s Day is commercialized. With the surrounding material values, it’s a necessity to reflect internally and realize what you truly are thankful for loving. Family, friends, coworkers, and anyone who makes you smile and are a positive effect on your life should be thought of on Valentine’s Day.
Roderick adds, “It’s amazing just how often we forget to say ‘thank you’ to the special people in our lives, and that’s what we should remember on this holiday.”
IMAGE TAKEN from insidemyshoe.com
