Valentine’s Day: Hallmark or Holiday?

Throughout the years, I think for anyone the meaning of Valentine’s Day continuously changes. When you’re young it is all handmade valentines that you receive in the little mailbox that you proudly made yourself with an Elmer’s Glue Stick and construction paper in the traditional Valentine’s Day colors. And at such a young age, you are taught that you in order to give out valentines at school you had to give them to everyone or else you don’t bring them at all. Looking back on it, it was a lesson in fairness and acceptance and I’m trying to think where we all lost that… I think it was when you started to develop feelings for that one person in your class, so you made their valentine just a little different or a little bigger than all the others to show your affection. This soon turned into only certain people getting valentines and eventually led to some people getting none at all.

As you grow older, past the years of paper valentines and candy hearts your view on Valentine’s Day started to shape itself. You either started to believe in it as simply a Hallmark holiday that you allowed fall to the wayside because you were unhappy with past experiences and you didn’t want others to be able to capitalize on your love for a certain someone. Some people believe that Valentine’s Day is too commonly referred to as a day for couples when it should be celebrated with anyone that you love (mom, dad, grandparents, friends, etc.), not just your significant other. And some don’t really understand where we lost the historic value of the holiday and it’s actual name St. Valentine’s Day, and that we need to realize that it is our society today that commercializes the holiday (but then again, what holiday don’t we commercialize anymore?).

After much consensus on a Facebook status, it has been decided that more people need to realize that you shouldn’t need a specific day to show people that you love them. While some people use it as an opportunity to go overboard, others seem to use it as the only day. I am one of the lucky ones who have a boyfriend who loves my very much and makes sure I don’t go a day without knowing so. But others aren’t so lucky. Others said that Valentine’s Day acts as a reminder that you need to show your love daily and often by giving it it’s own day. This I can totally understand, sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday that love (and showing love) can fall to the wayside. Valentine’s Day helps us to realize that we need to stop and smell the roses (even if you didn’t get any this Valentine’s Day, your metaphorical roses…) and show our love for others; whether it be your dog, your parents, a lover, whomever, just show your love.

So in reality, let’s think about it, Valentine’s Day isn’t (or shouldn’t) be that important… You should realize your love on a daily basis. And as one of my Facebook friends stated (and I’m paraphrasing), “if all you do is buy and give the average Valentine’s gift (flowers, cards, chocolate) on the holiday your relationship is dead, CPR is needed. Creativity is king.” Let’s take a lead from that, don’t be unoriginal, and show your love everyday, because let’s be honest, you never know when your time will run out to tell someone you love them (that got morbid… unintentional, but you know what I mean).

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