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Up Front: The fickleness of Valentine’s Day
Emily Plihal
for Smoky River Express
Okay, y’all, I apologize in advance because you’re going to hear the Valentine’s Day equivalent to Ebenezer Scrooge.
When you read this Hallmark’s favourite season will officially be gone for another year, but I feel the need to share with you my absolute disinterest with the “holiday”.
I wouldn’t says absolute disgust, because I do respect a day set aside to show your better half how much you care for them. However; the day also puts a lot of stress on an individual to buy their partner something materialistic. You know for a fact your significant other will have already heard from friends what they’ve received. God forbid your gift isn’t better than what their friends were bought.
Shouldn’t love be about sharing conversation, interest, passion, and friendship? Why is all this pressure put on individuals for the materialistic facets of life?
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy receiving flowers from someone with a message of, “I love you!” However; I’d rather receive the gift out of free will than pressure.
I personally think the holiday was created to make single people more uncomfortable. Sure, men don’t care if they’re single and they don’t receive a gift for Valentine’s Day. But imagine a woman sitting in an office building with 20 other women receiving flowers all around her. To hide the fact she may be the stereotyped “old maid”, she will run out of that office at the end of the day to avoid the inevitable “what did you get for Valentine’s Day” question.
Flowers are just the basic way of saying “I love you”. What about all the darned jewellery shops that experience an inflation of business for the week prior to all the day of Valentine’s Day.
I feel bad for these poor guys who feel pressure to buy their significant other diamonds for Valentine’s Day.
Maybe I’m just an odd ball girl, but I never want to receive expensive jewellery for Valentine’s Day. As a matter of fact, I will buy my owned darned jewellery with my own money. Why should you have to buy something for me that is not a necessity? I’ve always preferred getting practical gifts. My parents (when I was little) would pack our Easter baskets with underwear, socks, books, very little candy, and practical items that I could use for the entire year.
My sister is diabetic, so we were on a fairly strict diet that did not include sugary treats. As an adult though, I see the benefits of this type of diet and thus gifts at holidays that don’t include candy.
If someone wants to buy a present for me, I’d rather they just spend time having coffee or tea and talking.
I don’t need to have anything purchased for me to make me like you. The one thing in my life I miss most is having the chance to sit with friends and family just talking for hours on end.
Valentine’s Day puts pressure on every one, but no one feels the brunt quite like an individual in a brand new relationship.
If you’ve only been with your partner for a few months, is it necessary to buy them a present? I don’t think it’s ever necessary to buy a present for someone, I just think it’s a kind gesture.
Instead of being materialistic, wouldn’t it be nicer to have a romantic supper with your significant other?
The way I look at it, I don’t need more things to bring to my grave, but the memories will never be wasted.
All I want to hear from any one I love on any holiday is, “I love you, I miss you, I am so glad to have you in my life.”
After all, isn’t that enough?
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