This past Sunday was one of two things for you: absolute bliss or hell. Of course there are a few of us who can survive Valentine’s Day alone and not feel tortured, but only a very lucky few. Valentine’s Day is a real holiday and should be treated as such.
Valentine’s Day was created to celebrate love, which of course can cause many singles to be upset on such a day, and they have every right to be. Nobody wants to be alone, but we have to be alone some time before finding the right person. Just because you are not loved by or do not love anyone at the moment does not mean you should feel hopeless. You have your whole life ahead of you, so give that love to your family and friends before you become too absorbed in a relationship.
We all have our likes and dislikes about the holiday, but the things I dread the most during Valentine’s Day are the arguments against it. The one that I hear so often, that Valentine’s Day is just a Hallmark holiday, is simply not valid. What does that statement prove anyway? The holiday and tradition of giving love letters and gifts to your significant other has been around long before Hallmark came into existence.
Of course, Hallmark took advantage of this opportunity to make some money, but it took advantage of every other holiday also. I don’t see people sulking in the corner murmuring, “It’s just a stupid Hallmark holiday,” when Christmas rolls around.
There are two reasons you might have this argument. The first is that you disagree with the commercialization of the holiday and you think it is just another sly way for capitalists to steal money from us eager to spend Americans, and not to mention men usually are uncomfortable by feeling pressured to buy expensive things for their girlfriends. The second is that you are bitter and/or lonely and you don’t want anyone to know your true feelings, so you shrug it off with this excuse, even though everyone can see right through it.
Of course the commercialization of Valentine’s Day is a bit saddening and it might seem overwhelming too. Out of all those chocolates, jewelry, red satin hearts, cards, and flowers, which one will please your loved one the most? Every person usually prefers something different, and sometimes he says they want nothing at all.
The truth is that everyone wants to feel loved and appreciated, and the gifts that melt hearts the most are not those bought at Godiva or the florist. They are the gifts that little money goes into but require much thought, and that is what makes them so special. Gifts that are genuine, like a poem, scrapbook, homemade dinner, or song, although small and inexpensive, they are much more powerful than roses and a Hallmark card. These are not simply material gifts, they are signs that the person you are with is truly interested in you, knows your personality well, appreciates the uniqueness of your relationship, and wants to put every effort into it.
This is why Valentine’s Day should be treated as a holiday. We Americans are always so busy and wrapped up in our work, school, and social life that we rarely take enough time to show appreciation for our loved ones. This doesn’t just include boyfriends and girlfriends; it also includes family and friends. We all know Valentine’s Day is for lovers, but it can be for anyone special in your life too. Who doesn’t like to feel loved?
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