There are many divisive holidays for people, but the most polarizing of them all may be Valentine’s Day.
One reason that people usually strongly dislike Valentine’s Day is because they feel that it shames single people. People feel this way because they often end up having to see couples everywhere having fun and they feel left out.
With this criticism I think people just need to look at Valentine’s Day in a different light and understand that it’s not necessarily about being in a relationship but about spreading love to the people closest to you in your life. This means that instead of feeling lonely on Valentine’s Day and letting that impact your day, you can decide to hang out with your friends and family members. Doing this can not only brighten your day but also brighten some of your loved ones’ days when they may not have had plans.
Another reason I’ve noticed that people don’t like Valentine’s Day is because they feel like it’s over-commercialized and has had the soul taken out of it by big companies. They will feel as if the holiday is being shoved down their throat due to everything being about buying cards, chocolates, flowers, etc.
While I agree with this to an extent, I also think that compared to other holidays, like Christmas, Valentine’s Day is somewhat understated. I feel this way because the Valentine’s Day publicity and advertising I see is mostly in only the week leading up to it, while with Christmas it is usually a cycle of at least a month of the holiday being anticipated.
I have also heard people say that they do not like Valentine’s Day because they feel that having a specific day where you’re obligated to do something together takes away the spontaneousness of doing something nice for a significant other. It is argued that you are getting gifts and going out because you feel pressured to instead of genuinely wanting to.
I do agree with this a decent amount. I think that if a couple wants to have a lowkey celebration of the holiday and not do anything extravagant, there is nothing wrong with that and they shouldn’t be pressured to spend the day in any particular way. I also believe that a lot of the time both sides of couples will feel like they have to get the absolute perfect gift and try so hard to make their significant other happy that they don’t end up enjoying the day themselves.
Overall, I do not have a problem with Valentine’s Day as a holiday on a base level and I think it’s a great day for people in relationships to celebrate their love. I do think, however, that people just need to relax a little bit and know that they do not need to have the absolute perfect gift, but instead just being there for their partner and showing them that you care is all that really matters.
DISCLAIMER: This article is the sole opinion of Cristian Valentin
Cristian Valentin can be contacted at
cvalentin@kscequinox.com
