Well, what can one say… arguable one of the most commercial days on the calender.
The History of Valentines Day is more ledgend than fact and depending on your persuasion, it can have either Christian or Roman origins. That aside, why do we pour millions into the day each year?
I’ll tell you why, social pressure…! Lads are quite happy not to have a ‘bar of it’ but for woman its a whole different ball game. It is estimated that 85% of all the Valentines Day products, (cards, chocolates, fluffy toys, handcuffs, etc) are purchased by woman yet ironically it is supposed to be the man who purchases the gift and declares his affections to the opposite sex.
As a child, anything you receive as a gift is considered great and whilst you may not yet understand the meaning behind Valentines, you still want the pressie… If you’re of school age then you need something for ‘show and tell’ lest you be left out of your little social clique. Young woman need constant affirmation of the obvious (like love from a partner) and so desire something on Valentines Day. As time marches on family matters take precedence and affections can sometimes be left behind but Valentines Day is considered a small yet simple gesture that husbands must engage in. And finally the elderly see it for what it really is… a commercial venture that makes no difference to one love for another!
I’m not denying for a moment that the act of giving is not pleasurable but rather that giving material possessions as a replacement for giving ones affections is misguided. Yet somehow I cannot help thinking that all the above aside, if one DOES NOT cow tow to the norm and engage in Valentines Day by presenting gifts to the other, it is assumed by default that you DO NOT have the requisite affections for the other!
It seems a case of damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Tags: love, valentines day