Valentines Day: Yay or Nay?

When we think of Valentine’s Day, we often think of flowers and chocolates, fancy dinners and shiny jewelry. But is there a point to celebrating a holiday that is supposedly dedicated to love, but was made mainstream by greeting card companies? After all, with Valentine’s Day comes a lot of pressure to make the day feel special. People all over the world go to great lengths to show the people they love how much they matter through a variety of different ways. 

But is any of it really necessary? I say yes. Sure it may seem a little bit choreographed at first, and it can be. But oftentimes we as people need to remind ourselves, and the people around us that they matter and that we mean something to each other. We can always do this through the traditional gifts, but we can also spend time with our friends, call our family members, or even just enjoy each other’s company. 

In the course of a year, there aren’t many days where we get the opportunity to fully show the people in our lives how much we care about them. Sometimes the days can feel monotonous and dreary, so we get stuck in a cycle where we can get hung up on the small things. For all of its faults, Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to focus on the things that really matter. Because that’s all a day really is: an opportunity. No matter it’s billing, no day is set in stone. So next time I think Valentine’s Day is a pointless holiday driven by consumerism, I’ll encourage myself to think in a more positive light. 

I’m going to encourage myself to believe in the joys that any day can bring, and remind myself that a day celebrating love, no matter how cheesy or corny it may be, isn’t a bad thing. After all, we could all do with an opportunity to show each other we care, whether that’s through beautiful bouquets, a handmade card, baked goods, or just spending time with the people in your life.