Valentine’s Day. We’ve all heard of it, and we’ve all dreaded it at one point or another. We know that the holiday happens on February 14th, that it’s a time for roses, chocolates, and cards. But where does Valentine’s Day come from, and are the societal effects of the holiday worth it?
According to History.com, Valentine’s Day came from Christian and ancient Roman traditions. The most popular tale is that Emperor Claudius II created a rule that single men couldn’t get married because they were better soldiers. St. Valentine, realizing the injustice, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages in secret.
While the origins and people who make money off the holiday can argue that it’s a time to celebrate love, in any form, the more relevant conversation today is the effect this holiday has on society. The article “The (Potential) Social Impact of Valentine’s Day” on Northeastern.edu states that American consumers spent approximately $20 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2016. I agree that consumers should take a second look at what items our $20 billion are going to, just to be thrown away within the next two days, or week of the holiday. This amount of spending may be good for the greeting card industry or the flower markets, but I believe the social implications of Valentine’s Day can outweigh the positive effects it may have on the economy.
The modern-day Valentine’s is a time to promote “manufactured love” instead. The article “What’s Wrong with Valentine’s Day” on the RealTruth Magazine says it best. The fact that so many people feel obligated to buy gifts, candy, or cards for their loved ones, and even strangers in your 3rd-grade class, I feel takes the sincerity out of the holiday.
The harm of the day runs deeper than the 24 hours of gift-giving and love sharing. I feel that this “mandated” celebration can often teach children to have a wrong understanding of love.
Don’t take this as a lonely soul, sucking the fun out of Valentine’s Day, because I am a strong supporter for showing those important people in your life how much you care and I’ve never turned down flowers on Valentine’s. I do believe it plays a role in the lingering issues with relationships and false expectations for love in our society today.