Meditations on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is becoming an increasingly controversial holiday with regards to the secular population who celebrate it. There is a culture of pressure surrounding it for many people, irrespective of their relationship status, and what exactly for?

Geoffrey Chaucer and his inner circle made Valentine’s Day a ‘thing’ for lovers. It has always been special for Christians as it is a day celebrating and honouring one or more of the early saints called Valentinus. Religious freedom to celebrate this feasting holiday is, of course, acceptable and I bear no grudge with those who are genuine in their celebration. Though I am yet to meet someone who celebrates on 14th February for anything other than ‘love’, relationships and that Instagram post of ‘the most perfect boyf in the world xxxx’.

Unlike many people, I have no objection to love. Actually, I think it’s great. Good for you if you’ve got it. But Valentine’s Day isn’t really about love anymore, is it? Back in Chaucer’s day, it was cute. They’d give flowers and cards and confectionery to each other in the 14th Century which is similar to what it’s like in 2018. However, the flowers were cut and arranged by the men and women who handed them out back then and it was not so much of a global capitalist disease. Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is a corporate construction – much as it was back then too, only there was a little bit more sentiment – and, for fear of sounding too Marxist here, serves the rich and the rich alone, really.

People feel pressured into buying their partners gifts for Valentine’s Day, often spending more than they can really afford to do so. They feel pressured to beat the other guy and the women often have so many hopes for Valentine’s Day it’s often unrealistic. Although, the same goes for the men too, who have equally unrealistic expectations. Why are they unrealistic? Because Valentine’s Day is just like any other day, only it has a price tag attached to it. If you’re not showing your undying love for your other half throughout the whole year, Valentine’s Day won’t save that – and there’s no point in contributing to it if you won’t do it again until next year.

Valentine’s Day, sadly, has become another corporate scam designed specifically to target those who are in love and feel the pressure to impress. The concept of Valentine’s Day is nice as of course it’s lovely to celebrate love, but not when you’re breaking the bank and going out of your way to conform to the pressures of this now largely secular holiday. It’s a mixed verdict from me on the date of February 14th. As long as it is not wrapped in capitalism and materialism where people acquire more and more things that they don’t need, I’m all for Valentine’s Day. But, you know, the sentiment of things in this capitalist world is rarely ever maintained.