With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, love is in the air and couples are already putting their love on display.
In all honesty, Valentine’s Day is a bit weird. Why have a special day to celebrate love? It’s just like Mother’s and Father’s Day: these people should be celebrated every day, not just one day out of the year.
Now, of course, the holiday is an obvious cash grab. This isn’t necessarily negative though, as the holiday can aid in bolstering economic prosperity. In 2024, the National Retail Federation predicts consumers will spend $25.8 billion, which would be record setting. All of the spending that occurs helps net businesses more profit, making the holiday very useful in some aspects.
Despite how spending assists the economy, it seems to create competition between romantic partners to get each other the best and biggest gift. Perhaps they saw someone get a teddy bear for their significant other, and to prove that their love is greater, that person will go out and find an even bigger teddy bear for their partner. It just gets aggravating dealing with people walking around carrying giant stuffed animals and more balloons than they could ever need. Walking around in the hallways becomes a hassle on Valentine’s Day for this exact reason.
Social media doesn’t aid in the situation either. Going on these extravagant dates just for the purpose of posting it online defeats the whole purpose of the holiday. The point is to do something special for the people that you care about, not to objectify love and use it for clout.
Probably the weirdest thing about the holiday is the tradition of giving out valentines in elementary school. Why do we have to give one to every kid in the class? Why even bother having it be a thing in school if every kid is forced to buy something to give away? And, yes, I can see the perspective that no one should be left out, but not every kid deserves a valentine. If they’re a bully, why should the kids that get bullied be forced to give them a gift? Sounds like a recipe for disaster. It can also be hard on families that don’t have extra money to spend on candy for everyone in the class, but if their kid doesn’t participate they may be judged by the rest of the class.
However, Valentine’s Day has some additional benefits. Research has shown that the affection in a relationship, including that from Valentine’s Day, can improve some health factors and reduce the risk of heart disease, at least according to UAB Medicine. This seemingly justifies the gigantic displays of love, but it also raises the question of whether the grandeur of Valentine’s Day ruins the point, or does it help to make the holiday more special?
Despite the oddities of the holiday, it is still nice to have around. Even for those that don’t have a partner to spend the day with, it can still be made into a fun day. The holiday can be turned into a day for friends, family, or even celebrating pets. No matter how one chooses to celebrate, they should definitely claim the benefits by showing as much affection as they wish.
