The 14th of February
is looming and the high-street is currently an explosion of pink, hearts and kitsch. TV adverts are seducing viewers with that amazing £10 Marks & Spencer meal for two and while all this is happening a seething feeling of hate is raging within people across the world.
Upon watching these adverts with some people, I found the responses they provoked were on par with the anger usually geared towards the Westboro Baptist Church. “I don’t see the point in Valentine’s day, it’s so impersonal” is an argument one of my friends likes to put forward. She argues that celebrating your other half simply because a date dictates so is ludicrous; surely anniversaries and birthdays are more important? Another friend, in a long term relationship, plainly stated that she dislikes Valentine’s day so much that if her boyfriend gave her a present on the 14th of February, she’d decline it purely on the basis that it was given to her on Valentine’s.
Admittedly Valentine’s day isn’t my favourite day of the year, but personally I find it difficult to understand why people hate the day so much. I wholly understand the argument that it’s impersonal and surely you a) should put more emphasis on an anniversary or b) shouldn’t need an excuse to appreciate your other half. However, in theory, shouldn’t these arguments indicate that days such as Mother’s day should provoke the same bitter rage? Mother’s day is a day specifically designated to appreciate your mummy. It isn’t a birthday or an anniversary, nor should you really need an excuse to appreciate your mum. So why the rage over Valentine’s day?
Obviously many people are not loving life on the 14th of February because they’re single. Fair enough, it isn’t fun to be reminded that there are so many people in happy relationships while you sit at home weeping over your ready meal for one – I get that. But again, to use the example of Mother’s day, harsh as it is, some people don’t have mums. This is a painful truth, yet you don’t see people stomping around town, viciously glaring into Clinton Cards’ window display of Mother’s day cards and bouquets of flowers.
So, not to preach, but I think we should all just calm down a little. Granted, it’s not the best of days, but still, it’s just a day. If you don’t want to celebrate Valentine’s day, don’t, but appreciate that some people may well want to. If it helps, perhaps seethe in the company of others who feel the same, rather than making those people who are genuinely excited for Valentine’s day feel uncomfortable. I come from Finland and there the 14th of February is officially called Friend’s Day. Maybe this could be a good alternative? Get together with some mates, share a bottle of wine/vodka/absinthe and have a laugh. Less lonely, less pressure and less anger, everybody wins! Unless you don’t have any friends. In which case, that’s really upsetting and I’m sorry.