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As it's Valentine's Day and I am yet to receive a card, present or text message, I'm going to start the debate up.
Is Valentine's Day just another commercial holiday where people spend too much on pointless cards and presents, or is it a day you feel more able to express your feelings to that someone special?
Myself, this is the first year I haven't really thought about Valentines Day. Perhaps it's because I have nobody I feel strong enough about to make the effort.
I usually send a card to a crush, but at the moment I don't feel I have one. There are a few potential interests, but I'm sure their Valentines Days are filled with presents and cards already. (Although saying that, I used up my PayPal fund to sponsor a girl I have a bit of an interest in... hey it's for Cancer Research and I didn't have to buy a gift this year...)
Deep down, my honest opinion is that you don't need a day to let that person know how much you mean to them. This should be done every day - let them know you care, that they are on your mind and that you love them.
What are your thoughts?
Ask, receive a yes, spend a bit of cash, spend everything else. Easy.
it's commercial yes, but pointless? Hardly.
We didn't even buy each other cards!
Valentine's win!
Commercialism fail.
It doesn't hurt to have one day that might yield some happiness for someone who might not normally get any and while it's a nice sentiment to say everyone should be showing love all year around it's just not realistic.
and it's only commercial because people make it commercial, just like the other holidays, all of them can be celebrated easily without buying anything.
In ancient Rome, worship of a god called Faunus was observed on the 15th February by men running around a hill whipping women who wanted children lined up around the path of the runners to ensure their fertility. It was called Lupercalia. This was abolished in the 5th century.
The name Valentine comes from a story about Saint Valentine in around the year 200, when the Roman emperor of the time stopped men marrying to make them better soldiers. Valentine was a priest and he married young couples secretly in violation of the emperors orders and was apparently executed on the 14th February. In the year 496, the Pope of the time called February 14th Saint Valentines Day.
A symbol most would recognise is Cupid. Cupid is based on the Greek god Eros, the god of love, as he hovered over goddess Aphrodite while Pan, a fertility god, made advances on her.
As with most holidays, they have their bases in worship of ancient gods so, although the origins are mostly forgotten, the fact remains that Valentines Day is based on these origins. In a way, the commercialisation of Valentines Day has hidden the true meaning behind it.
The commercialism of Valentines Day is a reason why to me it a pointless waste of time. It is basically forced affection. It could also be heartfelt but the impact is lost because it is expected.
I choose not to get involved in Valentines Day. :)
it`s a public apology with a line of merchendise.
so there :P
This is all fine if it doesn't get out of hand, and for the majority of couples I'm sure it doesn't - that the love shared between them surpasses any material gifts of any day or occasion - but it also serves to leave out those who refuse to partake in the tradition. We are all social people by nature (maybe not the psychos) - we want to feel loved, wanted and in return love others - when the "love industry" has profited so much to the extent that they can sway the masses (and that includes me) that you HAVE to buy in order to show love, it means that those who refuse to take part in the commercialisation of such an event will be socially ostracised. The companies know that, sooner or later, they too would have to spend to be part of mainstream society, or risk being labelled an outcast or part of one of those "weirdo" groups.
As it's Valentine's Day and I am yet to receive a card, present or text message, I'm going to start the debate up.
Is Valentine's Day just another commercial holiday where people spend too much on pointless cards and presents, or is it a day you feel more able to express your feelings to that someone special?
Myself, this is the first year I haven't really thought about Valentines Day. Perhaps it's because I have nobody I feel strong enough about to make the effort.
I usually send a card to a crush, but at the moment I don't feel I have one. There are a few potential interests, but I'm sure their Valentines Days are filled with presents and cards already. (Although saying that, I used up my PayPal fund to sponsor a girl I have a bit of an interest in... hey it's for Cancer Research and I didn't have to buy a gift this year...)
Deep down, my honest opinion is that you don't need a day to let that person know how much you mean to them. This should be done every day - let them know you care, that they are on your mind and that you love them.
What are your thoughts?