As Valentine’s Day approaches, Keene State College students talk about their plans and opinions in regards to the holiday.
According to an article titled “History of Valentine’s Day” from History.com, the origin of the holiday comes from the Catholic Church. The article stated that the Catholic Church recognizes three different saints named “Valentine” or “Valentinus,” all of whom were martyred for the heroic acts they committed for love.
The article also stated that approximately 150 million cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.
This year Americans will spend $18.9 million dollars on Valentine’s Day, according to the article. Although this article makes Valentine’s Day out to be a day for couples to show their love for one another and also recognizes the spending problem, each year students find their own ways to celebrate this holiday.
Philip Bergeron / Graphic Design Editor
To KSC first-year Rachel Mayers, Valentine’s Day is a day for couples to show what they really mean to each other, whether they choose to do that by spending money or in a less materialistic way.
“Valentine’s Day has started to become more about the gifts and the money spent than about the meaning behind them. There has been increasing pressure to make it bigger and better every year,” Mayers said.
“Some couples still believe that Valentine’s Day is about the feelings, not about the money,” Mayers explained.
For this holiday, Mayers said she believes that being single or in a relationship does change the way people view it.
“I do feel that being single or [being] in a relationship can change someone’s view of the holiday. If you’re in a relationship and happy, then you will probably want to celebrate more. However, if you’re single you might not have anyone to celebrate with,” Mayers explained.
In terms of her own Valentine’s Day plans, Mayers said that she will be competing in the KSC League Track and Field Championship and her boyfriend will be working.
“My boyfriend and I do not make a huge deal out of Valentine’s Day. We don’t think there should just be one day a year you show each other how you really feel, you should be doing that a little bit every day. Normally we just go out to dinner and get each other a nice card,” Mayers continued.
In contrast to Mayers’ opinion about how being in a relationship may change the way one thinks or feels about Valentine’s Day, senior Katie Leclerc said that she does not think it makes a difference.
“Being in a relationship or not does not really change the way I think about Valentine’s Day honestly. I think it is a cute concept but you should not need a holiday to show your significant other that you care about them,” Leclerc said.
With Valentine’s Day being the second leading holiday for card sending and the inspiration for a lot of love-themed gifts, Leclerc said that she feels Valentine’s Day is more of a consumer holiday rather than a day for couples.
Interestingly enough, the woman credited with being one of the first to “harness Cupid for commercial purposes” and “to recognize the money-making potential of mass-produced greetings” in the United States graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1847, about an hour away from KSC, according to the college’s website.
Leclerc said that she celebrates Valentine’s Day with a group of friends every year.
“This year my friends and I are going to throw a Valentine’s Day party and we’re all going to get dressed up,” Leclerc said.
Junior Megan Bernard also weighed in about the holiday.
Bernard stated that whether or not she is dating someone, she enjoys Valentine’s Day.
“I like chocolate and flowers,” she said,
“Even if I don’t have a special somebody, I always do something nice with my friends,” Bernard stated.
Bernard continued, “I believe that this is a consumer holiday but people eat that stuff right up. Who doesn’t want a box of chocolate or flowers on Valentine’s Day?”
“I think couples should remind one another about their feelings everyday but I think having a day spent honoring that is a nice tradition,” she said.
In the past years, Bernard said that she has spent Valentine’s Day with her friends.
“My family has always celebrated the fourteenth as a day of love. In the past, my friends and I have gotten Chinese food together and celebrated the day just being with one another,” Bernard stated.
Bernard added that this year she will be spending the day with her boyfriend.
“My boyfriend is from my hometown, so I am going home this year to celebrate with him. We’re doing small presents and then going out to eat,” Bernard stated.
In terms of how others may feel about the holiday, whether they have a romantic partner or not, Bernard stated she feels that although it might be hard feeling like you’re the only single person in the world, everyone is doing something special.
“There have been times when I’ve been cynical about the holiday, but other than that I am generally happy and enjoy celebrating the day with either friends, family or a romantic partner,” Bernard stated.
Brogan Wessell can be contacted at bwessell@keene-equinox.com
