Valentine’s: is it just another day of the week?

As the month of February reaches the halfway mark, the time for the season of pink and red once again falls upon us.

I am talking about Valentine’s Day, of course, a day where people all across the world express their plethora of love. It is also a day that might grant people an extra boost of courage, allowing them to express their feelings of affection towards that one special someone always on their mind or in their heart.

But is Valentine’s Day really as necessary as many people think it is?

Valentine’s Day seems to cause more of a hassle than anything. In a way, it strongly resembles Christmas: rather than focusing on what the true meaning of the occasion is and simply celebrating it, we relentlessly struggle to find the ultimate endowment for those we find near and dear to us.

With the way society has become, it is not enough to show someone how much you care for them by simply saying “I love you” or “You’re special to me.” For some reason, we have come to this conclusion to obligatorily show these expressions by spending mountains of money on a variety of gifts. 

As a guy, these typical gifts from us to the lovely ladies include the typical “stuffy fluffy wuffy” bear, an assortment of roses, Forrest-Gump-like boxes of chocolates and, of course, jewelry costing as much as limbs (maybe an involuntary human sacrifice if it is expensive enough). Oh, and do not forget the classic fancy meal at a nice restaurant. 

For women’s gifts to men, I would not have the slightest clue. The most logical Valentine’s Day gift I could think for women to give to men would be… well, you know.

Is it a kind gesture to give a gift in the first place even if the item is not at the peak of cost? Of course it is. In some cases, it is the best way for people to express their affections because they may not be as adept at using colorful words or even writing a letter, but it seems like society has shoved this idea down our throats that materialism is the one and only way to express feelings of love. Other than Christmas, Valentine’s Day seems to promote this materialistic idealism more than any other holiday, and it truly is unfortunate.

Valentine’s Day also reminds me of New Years. 

People use New Years as a catalyst for new resolutions, whether to start something new or to pick up old, yet forgotten good habits. But why does the dawn of a new year have to be the only time for people to take action for the better?

Any other day is the exact same. For example, if you have yearned to shed a couple of pounds from that Pillsbury Dough Boy belly, what stopped you from going to the gym last Tuesday, a month ago or even today? More than likely, nothing. It is probable you have always had some time to spare throughout the week where you can donate to the cause of working out.

It is the same concept with Valentine’s Day. Some couples seem to hold this belief that Valentine’s Day is the one time out of the other 364 days of the year to express how they feel about their significant other when that simply is not true. If you are in a relationship where it is an unwritten rule to use Valentine’s Day as a singular time to convey your feelings towards someone else, you may need to get out of there while you still can. 

My point is that Valentine’s Day should not be the only resort to promote how people feel toward one another.   

Ironically, Valentine’s Day can have an opposite effect to love. It is completely natural for people to want to feel wanted, and Valentine’s Day only serves as a constant hovering rain cloud above the heads of those feeling lonely.

Were it not for Valentine’s Day evolving into such a materialistic oc casion, perhaps it would make for a greater, more meaningful day. Until that time comes, I am going to see Valentine’s Day simply as another day of the week. 

Robert Key is a journalism major and the entertainment editor for The Pine Log.