Shouldn’t

Valentine’s day- a globally celebrated holiday appreciated by many for its symbolic representations of love and affection. Hearts, the color red and pink and a sense of romance are seen everywhere: restaurants, the media and on the streets. For many, it’s a day of celebration, where lovers or family exchange gifts, flowers and words of affection. But growing up, I was always a bit curious and even somewhat skeptical about it. I often found myself questioning the need for such a holiday in the middle of February.

One time, while on a walk with my dad, I asked him why people celebrate Valentine’s Day and why specifically on February 14. “I mean I’m not sure why but it is very beneficial to the corporations and businesses.” As a child, I didn’t fully understand the correlation, but the idea stuck with me. As I grew older, I decided to do some research to understand the root of this holiday. I quickly discovered that the origin of Valentine’s Day is surrounded by both myth and history.

The most commonly told version involves St. Valentine, a Roman saint who is believed to have secretly helped men marry during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Emperor Claudius passed a law preventing young men from marrying because he believed that single men made better soldiers. Valentine, however, defied the emperor’s law and helped men marry.

While this might seem heroic and romantic, the dark facet of it is never told. During this era, women were not given the same rights as men and they were largely seen as property to be given away in marriage. Their identities were tied to the men they married, and they were expected to live in the shadows of their husband, never fully acknowledged as individuals with their own desire or autonomy.

The actions of St. Valentine, while noble in some way, took place within a social structure where women had little say in their own lives. This part of the narrative is rarely discussed. Instead, the story of Valentine rebellion is often romanticized without considering how women were treated as objects whose only purpose  is marriage.

Even though Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world today, there are still problems with how society views love and relationships. I believe love shouldn’t be celebrated only on one day a year.

Valentine’s Day also limits how we express love because we could celebrate our love for nature, animals and everything else, but the main focus ends up being on couples. Additionally, before February, they constantly showed us how to make our loved ones feel special by buying them the latest trendy items, which reflects what my father said about corporations and companies.

Although its history is pretty tragic, it is still nice to see people happy although I have different views toward the holiday.

Should

Women were treated as objects dedicated to just being beside men. To this day, I dont have the complete story line of the event that happened. But the celebration of this holiday should be reconsidered.

I believe love should be celebrated every day, and that people should try to make each other feel loved every moment they spend together. I think it also is materialistic from the way the media publicize it because before February they show people how they should make their loved one feel by buying them the new trendy item.

We should still celebrate Valentine’s Day because the key is to connect with your loved one on a special day. This holiday comes from the 15th century when Saint Valentine, a Christian Martyr who secretly married couples, was celebrated with feasts. 

Every year, people come together to spend quality time or do something romantic because this is a way to show admiration to friends, lovers, or even connect romantically to make your partner feel special. The effect is to remind people they are loved and deserve a lot.

Although we show love every day, today we can show more of those feelings and emotions. Whether someone is in a relationship or not, Valentine’s Day is still all about love in various ways. This means an opportunity to get together from a long distance or go out to do fun activities like the arcade, theaters or a picnic in the park.

Valentine’s Day is also the best day to present gifts and benefit businesses as well because people are buying chocolates, flowers and pretty items for their loved ones, which makes the holiday great for marketing and getting people’s attention. The Valentine’s Day aisles in stores bring an admirable atmosphere as if Cupid has shot his arrow making shopping more enjoyable with extra purchases. 

Also, kind gestures are the thought that counts. Giving love notes, flowers, or verbally telling a person they are loved could make their day because a little goes a long way. And with that, Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday because of its aesthetic and purpose. There’s nothing better than the spirit of love and happiness with red and pink hearts. 

However, some people dislike Valentine’s day out of hatred or loneliness. To look at the positive side of this, love should still be spread to those who need it, including people who don’t have a partner. 

After all, Valentine’s Day brings joy to sweethearts and friends, and it must remain a holiday to continue celebrating in our community. Give someone a hug today!