It could very well be both. Valentine’s Day is one of those days that about one third of the population looks forward to, one third dreads the coming of, and the remaining one third either doesn’t care, doesn’t remember, or a combination of doesn’t care to remember or doesn’t remember to care. It’s one of those holidays that you can either love your whole life, dread your whole life, or alternate your feelings on it depending on your love life that previous year or even just during the month of February. Some people’s moods on Valentine’s Day even just depend on the week that it falls on. Over all, I’d say it’s a very moody holiday filled with heart-shaped everything, fun decorations, and love.
On the one hand: it’s just a meaningless holiday right. We don’t get days off from work or school. Valentine’s Day is right up there with Ground Hog’s Day; it’s there, it’s in February, and some people just get too excited about it for their own good. February 2 or February 14; what’s the difference? One day revolves around a furry little ground hog that has a lot of people convinced that he can tell you the weather because of a shadow, while the other revolves around chocolates, flowers, stuffed animals (that can’t tell you the weather any more than that little ground hog in Pennsylvania can), and romance. So naturally, all of this seems very commercial to some people; hence the idea that Valentine’s Day is just a commercial holiday so that Hallmark can sell more cards during the year. It could just be there to fill the card gap between Christmas and Easter.
Another take on Valentine’s Day, or how it’s affectionately referred to by some people, is “Singles-Awareness Day.” It means exactly what it says: a day for those people who just happen to be single on February 14 each year to really know, understand, and be aware in the fact that they are alone. But honestly, it’s not a day to be miserable in that fact. I’ve heard of ridiculous things and stories of people going into depression because they are single on Valentine’s Day, but completely happy again come February 15. Seriously though, if a day is going to slump millions of people into depression, something is definably wrong here. If not getting an overpriced box of chocolate is something to cry over, then I can’t imagine what would happen if you were really upset about something. You don’t have people buying you chocolates every other day of the year; therefore, February 14 isn’t a day to get upset about when you don’t find a box of chocolates or flowers on your desk.
Valentine’s Day is not just a greeting card holiday or Singles-Awareness Day. It might be for you, but that’s not all that it’s about. It’s also not a day to be miserable. If it makes you miserable, pretend as if it doesn’t exist. Avoid the colors red and pink for one day, and don’t think about love or heart-shaped things if that’s what makes you gloomy. For the rest of you who actually enjoy this holiday, I hope it was a good day for you. Valentine’s Day is not just a day about romance. It’s about love, and as I see it, love doesn’t just stem towards your significant other. You have love for countless people in your life: friends, family, brothers, sisters, roommates, parents, etc. The list goes on and on. So what if you’re single and that makes you unhappy because you don’t have a Valentine. In reality, if you love someone, they are automatically your Valentine on Valentine’s Day.
Not only is Valentine’s Day a day to show someone that you love them, it’s a good day to show all of the people in your life how much they mean to you, how much you appreciate them, and how much you love them for who they are and what they do for you. Appreciate the people you have in your life this Valentine’s Day; make it a day to be happy instead of miserable. Unless you have no friends and are completely alone, you will always have a Valentine on Valentine’s Day.
