Valentine’s Day: Looking At The World Through Rose-Colored Glasses
By Jazmine Villar
I’m going to start this off by saying don’t call me biased for loving this holiday solely because I’m in a relationship (but also, I might be a little biased). But in all seriousness, Valentine’s Day is truly one of the top tier holidays.
To start off, being surrounded by pink and red evokes deep feelings of warmth and kindness in people when they’re exposed to it for a long period of time, (There are studies on this. Look it up) This means that literally everyone becomes so much nicer to you, even if they don’t know you or like you. Like, even I would give the girl who doesn’t like me a huge smile and a compliment because how can you be upset with someone on a holiday centered around LOVE?
Secondly, I will admit that Valentine’s Day is up there with Christmas as one of the holidays where people might go overboard and spend quite a few bands on gift ideas. But I personally believe that if you truly do love someone, spending a few extra bucks can’t hurt! Especially when you see that sweet, adorable look on their face when you surprise them with a gift they believed wasn’t going to be an option due to its price. It’s like a ray of sunshine is just beaming on their face.
However, let me also make a PSA: you DON’T need to spend money for gifts. Handmade gifts are just as sweet, if not better, than expensive and flashy gifts. Coming from a personal perspective, handmade cards, pastries, or thought-out dates are the gifts I’d want over fragile jewelry I can only wear on special occasions (cough, cough…).
Also, it seems as though Valentine’s Day is like a mini-fashion show for everyone, not just girls (I won’t exclude guys here because I know we have some fashion icons among us). But it’s like when Valentine’s rolls around everyone gets to wear that one super cute shirt or outfit they bought a while ago that seems too flashy for everyday wear, but have no fear, Valentine’s is THE day to wear it.
Now on a side note, it seems also that girls do the CUTEST makeup that consist of hearts, sparkles, etc. and I absolutely adore it.
I’ll end my reasoning with one simple thing: Valentine’s Day editions/collabs. I am a HUGE sucker for when brands come out with Valentine’s speciality items (as I am writing this Uggs came out with these special edition platform tasman slippers and I am seriously debating dropping $125 for them). Like, when Dutch drops their Valentine’s Day menu, trust that I will be ordering the “Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Mocha” (which if you haven’t tried it already, you should). I feel like there’s just something about a brand making Valentine’s shine through their own merch and looking super cute and lovely.
Overall, Valentine’s Day allows me to be a different version of myself that ignores all the evil things lurking in the shadows of the world by surrounding myself full of love and all things cute and pink. And seriously, who doesn’t want to do that?
How Valentine’s Day Feeds Consumerism
By Abigail Cabezas
When I think about Valentine’s Day, it no longer feels like a celebration of sharing love, but rather a reminder to spend money on those we love. Let me clarify, I’m not some cranky girl who hates love and is trying to take it out on everyone else; I personally love the idea of love, as well as the cutesy aesthetics of the day itself. However, it’s become clear that what used to be a day dedicated toward appreciating one’s relationships has morphed into a commercialized holiday that pressures people into “proving their love” by spending money.
Every February, stores are flooded with chocolates, flowers, stuffed animals, cards, jewelry, and the list goes on—most of which are priced higher simply because they’re marketed towards the holiday—not to mention the millions of ads on social media. But haven’t you noticed that this doesn’t begin in February? By the end of November, we’re overwhelmed with obnoxious heart-shaped and pink gifts! (No hate for the color pink, but you understand my point.) Excuse me for wanting to purchase a Thanksgiving Turkey or Christmas Tree without heart holding teddy bears being thrown at my face.
As years have evolved, the message has been sent that if you don’t buy anything, your love isn’t worthy. This pressure isn’t only towards adults but extremely noticeable among students. Not everyone has the extra money to spend on expensive gifts or fancy dinners, yet the modern version of Valentine’s Day has created the expectation that love can only be shown through spending. It’s unfair that society has set this unrealistic expectation on how you have to demonstrate your love.
Instead of focusing on the meaningful aspects of love, the holiday has transformed into a day causing both stress and guilt for those struggling to measure up to these outrageous expectations. Rather than focusing on the love we share with each other, people have learned to compare their worth based on what they’re able to give and what they receive. So instead of spending the day celebrating with your loved ones, we are left feeling inadequate and unworthy.
If anything companies benefit the most from Valentine’s Day, not the people celebrating it. Businesses have created marketing techniques that turn our personal feelings into their own profit. The flowers that once cost five dollars suddenly doubled in price, and simple gifts are suddenly marketed as a “must have” for any Valentine’s gift. So once again, our focus has shifted away from genuine connection towards consumerism when in reality true love shouldn’t depend on how much money your special someone spends on you.
I’m not saying that love itself is fake; I’m a firm believer that genuine love is something so incredibly beautiful that everyone should experience, but real love shouldn’t be based on how much money your loved one spends on February 14th. In the end, love should be about effort, honesty and showing up when your person needs you, not when companies tell us to. We should be showing our love towards each other every day through actions, not by feeding into cash-grabbing societal traditions
