Is Valentine's Day Worth Celebrating?
You must be wondering… why the heck is this bish asking this question? Well, this is a genuine question—is Valentine’s Day really worth celebrating?
If you're like me, you grew up in a time when you and your friends would wear matching outfits or if you didn’t have one, you’d at least throw on a pink or red shirt and exchange cute Valentine's Day cards. Back then, Valentine’s Day was one of those days EVERYONE looked forward to… well, mostly the girls. Growing up, Valentine’s Day meant you were loved by friends, family, or heck, maybe even a last-minute date. I remember trying to find a date before Valentine’s Day just so I could get free gifts or feel that “special love” everyone was always talking about. Then came the teenage years, when my expectations went way up. I expected my boyfriends to take me to expensive restaurants, buy me roses, and shower me with gifts all just to prove how much they truly loved me. But is this really what Valentine’s Day is about? Or is this just what society wants us to think?
For years, marketing blasted Valentine’s Day like it was free candy. Roses EVERYWHERE. Heart-shaped candy EVERYWHERE. Love was LITERALLY in the air....EVERYWHERE. In my 20s, I started noticing the over-the-top commercialization, prices would double overnight only to drop the next day. Now that is what I call bullsh-t. Over time, Valentine’s Day just didn’t hit the same. I noticed stores and restaurants weren’t promoting it like they used to. No more heart-shaped drawings on menus, no balloons in restaurants, no red and pink displays in stores. It was like the hype had faded.
Then, out of nowhere, Galentine’s Day entered the scene, a day to celebrate love with your female friends on February 13. A day for women to get together with their best friends, enjoy brunch, exchange small gifts, and just appreciate each other. Unlike Valentine’s Day, which focuses on romantic relationships, Galentine’s Day is all about love and support among friends. Even though it started as a joke from Parks and Recreation, women now celebrate it as a real holiday and honestly, I love that for us.
But as times are changing, relationships are also changing. Which brings me back to my original question… is Valentine’s Day worth celebrating?
Before we get to the answer, let’s do a quick breakdown of where Valentine’s Day came from.
Valentine’s Day traces back to ancient Rome with the festival of Lupercalia, a wild celebration of fertility held on February 15. Later, the Catholic Church Christianized the holiday, linking it to St. Valentine, a priest who secretly married couples despite Emperor Claudius II banning it. He was eventually executed on February 14, and over time, the day became associated with love and romance. Fast forward to the 1800s, mass-produced Valentine’s cards became popular and by the 1900s, chocolates, flowers, and gifts took over. Now, it’s a billion-dollar industry.
But now, with all the commercialization and tradition surrounding it, is Valentine’s Day really still worth celebrating? To find out, I asked a few friends in all ages; male and female, single, taken, married, with and without kids to see what they think. Here’s what they had to say…
“I don't think it's dead. But I also see Valentines Day as a day to celebrate everyone you love. My son, my parents, my sister. Even if it’s a small chocolate. Because love doesn’t have to only be about couples.” -A friend who embraces love in all its forms.
“Valentine’s Day means love and friendship to me. It's a chance to express how much I care for the people I love, but I do think it’s dying down. I don’t hear people talking about it as much anymore." - A friend who expresses appreciation and love towards others.
“I don’t think it is dead. I think it has evolved, it is a day worth celebrating with the right person or it can be a day to reaffirm love for yourself. It can also be a day to celebrate loved ones.” - A friend who celebrates love in different ways.
"I still think Valentine’s Day is worth celebrating. It’s shifted from being about friendship to being more focused on romantic love, but for me, it’s a day to appreciate love in all forms; friendship, family, and kindness." - A friend who cherishes love in all aspects of life.
“I like Valentine’s Day! I think it should be everyday, but it’s nice to have a day dedicated to love & the people you love. It’s definitely worth celebrating because sometimes people don’t hear or feel it enough. It’s become more special to me over the years. It reminds me that it shouldn’t just be one day, but to constantly express my feelings for others & Valentine’s Day means to celebrate & enjoy those around you and make them feel special and make yourself feel special.” - A friend who finds joy in celebrating love.
“I absolutely LOVE and look forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day every year! I remember being a kid in elementary school and receiving lots of different Valentine’s Day cards from my classmates. My favorite part was reading all the messages on the back of the card and getting chocolate (especially Hershey’s kisses). It’s the one day of year when I feel loved and appreciated and try my best to ensure my partner feels the same way. I know what my partner likes and dislikes, so I will base my gift off of that. I am an artist and enjoy creating gifts so every year I either paint or make something homemade for my partner (because homemade gifts with lots of thoughts behind them are the best hahaha). I put a lot of effort into presentation as well, and I always decorate the front of the envelope with a cute little drawing. The look on my partners face is what I look forward to seeing. The excitement in my partners eyes, their wide smile, how they admire the gift I made for them with love, that’s the best feeling.” - A friend who enjoys giving thoughtful gifts.
“Yes, I do celebrate it but we only do it to give us another reason to plan something. For example this year, instead of buying each other something or going to a nice dinner, we booked a couples spa. I feel like Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be the only time of the year we show our love for each other or go on a fancy date night. I don’t buy into the commercial day of celebrating. If Valentine’s Day would end tomorrow, I wouldn’t miss it. I think it’s kind of sad that women in relationships view this day as the day they get flowers, like girl get you a man that always gives you flowers. So is it worth it, maybe if its another layer of celebrating your love for someone but I don’t understand the hype of the day. Valentine’s Day is nothing different or new for my boyfriend and I. I’m actually going to happy hour with a girl friend of mine on the 14th instead of dinner with my boyfriend.” - A friend who values love in her own way.
“I think Valentine’s Day is fun the first couple years you're together maybe even just the first year. Showing your partner acts of love should be everyday not just one day a year that they’re special to you. It’s a holiday that can make some people feel alone or unloved if they don’t have a partner or someone who care enough to make the day special.” - A friend who believes love is an everyday thing.
“Honestly, I don’t really care to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I use to but my husband made it so boring he’ll just buy cheap stuff that I don’t want just to say he’ll got me something so no Valentine’s isn’t something I care to celebrate.” - A friend who values meaningful gestures over tradition.
“It means nothing to me. However since society celebrate it I “sometimes” do the same so my wife doesn’t feel out of the loop. I’m not big on the day because I don’t need a specific day to tell me to love my wife. I try to do that year round. So within the year I buy flowers, candy, clothes, etc. I personally feel Vday is really about words and tell your significant other how you truly feel about them.” - A friend who believes love is a daily commitment.
The others I asked had similar responses. Some don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day because they view it as a pagan holiday, while others don’t believe in it at all. Some feel like they don’t need to shower their loved ones with gifts to show love for their friends, family, and others in their lives.
Now you’re probably wondering… do I think Valentine’s Day is worth celebrating? Well, I’ve gotta be honest. In my younger years, yes, of course, I was craving that special kind of love. I wanted to be loved so badly, but my expectations always left me disappointed. Even when I had what I wanted, I was never satisfied because I always wanted more. But in my mid-20s, I used to think Valentine’s Day was just a holiday created by some guy trying to make up for everything he put his girlfriend through the rest of the year. But you know what? That’s not how I feel anymore. I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, at least not in the traditional way. I don’t need roses because I buy myself roses every two weeks for my dining room table (eating next to real, fresh roses is a vibe, trust me). And I buy Snickers every other day because I have a crazy sweet tooth. I don’t need someone to shower me with gifts to feel loved. I want to feel loved and appreciated every day even if I want to receive flowers just because it’s Wednesday (if you know, you know).
So, is Valentine’s Day worth celebrating? Maybe. Maybe not. But love….now that’s always worth celebrating, no matter what day it is.