The Concept of Valentine's
At school, we were told about the stories of St Valentine, the saint in the 3rd century who married couples secretly at a time when it was forbidden. The Emperor had made such orders because men were needed to fight in the war, but if they were married, they could avoid being sent off. St Valentine was later executed on Valentine's Day for his crime and has been remembered as a champion of love, with his death day commemorating love in the Western sphere.
Valentine's Day has become increasingly commercialised, with over a billion being spent to mark the day in the UK. The most popular item is of course the traditional red rose. This commercialisation has increased its worth to the economy and thus society, with people wanting to display their love through gifts. The successful marketing of Hallmark cards in the 20th century helped to boost Valentine's as an essential holiday for all to be involved in, and now, it is a mainstream event.
Valentine's can be a challenging time for many people, whether this is because of a loved one or a feeling of missing out. I think Valentine's and the whole concept is layered; it is good to have a day to focus on love and remind people to treat those they care about, which can easily be forgotten in busy day-to-day life. But, I do think some people take it too seriously. It is one day just like any other, and yet people feel immense societal pressure to find a date or make plans because heaven forbid you are alone and therefore doomed to spend eternity in the same way.
In recognition of these concerns, the idea of Galentine's has gained popularity over the last decade, with not just romantic love being celebrated, but friendship love. The idea of Valentine's is inherently romantic, but if it is a day to celebrate love, that should encompass any type of love and not be confined to romance. Self-love is one of these types and arguably the most important kind of love. If you do not love who you are, how can you be ready to love other people?
As humans, we can obsess and fixate on making that one day the most special, but forget to remember that how we act all year is also, if not more important. We should always strive to be the best we can be with the people we care about, including ourselves.
This Valentine's, I hope you have a great day with yourself and the people you love.
*Header photo is from: Wix
*The statistic is from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katehardcastle/2022/02/14/valentines-day-gifting-grows-up-the-rise-of-ethical-and-personalised-gifts-of-love/?sh=742e341d7634
Comments