It is the day that encompasses so much dread, hatred, love and excitement that it seems miraculous the world is still spinning after we conquer it each year. It creates butterflies in the stomach and shivers of horror as it willingly pounces on its prey. It is the day chocolate companies love and weight loss programs cripple with their promises of “He’ll love you when you lose 10 pounds.”
It, is Valentine’s Day.
From its humble beginnings as the feast day of St Valentine (and there are three potential St Valentines) and the sending of cards, it has morphed into an ever rolling ball of consumerism represented in the giving of flowers, teddy bears and tacky newspaper proposals. Oh, it is not good, but neither is it bad. Valentine’s Day just is. It is a human tradition created by humans and is based solely on their behaviour on the same day every single year. Forget the 13th of February, we all know that you give roses to your lover on Valentine’s Day, otherwise it doesn’t count.
For an event caused entirely by humans, it seems much weight is put on this day. Really, Valentine’s Day could have been February 15th and anyone who gave you roses on the 14th would have been…well weird. But it is the 14th, and forever it shall remain this date. A date humans either love or loathe.
When I was in a school I recall an older student ranting (and ranting is the correct terminology, this girl was passionate) about the stupidity of the holiday. She had stood in front of her entire class and had told everyone WHY it was stupid. I’m guessing she was single.
Then again, I have heard about many a couple who REFUSE to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Rather, they have a meal together on Valentine’s Day like all the couples, but do it without celebrating the holiday…..that one confuses me too. It seems to me that Valentine’s Day comes down to a date where people remember to show their special someone how special they are to them. It is a day young boys slip roses into their crushes locker and are met with either squeals of excitement or the cold shoulder.
What am I doing this Valentine’s Day? Well I am celebrating the third option (The first two being ‘I love Valentine’s Day’ and the second being ‘I hate Valentine’s Day’). I am going out with a group of single girlfriend and watching a chick flick at the movies. Whether I love the day and celebrate the sisterhood, or hate the day and speak dirt about boys, I am still celebrating Valentine’s Day because I am buying into the idea that it is a special day. So I chose option three, being ‘I don’t mind either way’.
Experience has taught me that you waste too much energy hating boys for things they never knew they had to do. And why should I hate on all those couples celebrating the day? By doing this I may as well just plaster a sign on my forehead saying ‘Jealous’. I’d rather people express their love for each other year round, well privately anyway. But if it takes a special day to remind them of how good they have it, then why shouldn’t we celebrate Valentine’s Day?
So I will go to the movies tonight and watch Josh Duhamel declare his love for Julianne Hough and cry, and I will try to ignore all the couples making out in the back row. But I won’t be bitter, or cynical, or God forbid smitten with the idea of finding love. I’m just going to sit back and enjoy the ride, life is more fun that way.