Valentine’s Day does not matter, it’s time to move on
How is this holiday still widely celebrated?
Art by Sarah Nelson.
As another February comes, it is once again time to argue what the point of Valentine’s Day is, let alone why it gets extra attention like other big holidays.
If you’ve followed my work for long enough, you’ve probably seen me write about how much I hate Valentine’s Day. I’m just a generational hater. However, it’s not like I hate for the sake of being a hater.
While I know Valentine’s Day is celebrated as the holiday of love, other holidays, like Christmas or even New Year’s, are often spent appreciating loved ones.
Not even the aesthetics many people associate with Valentine’s Day are unique to the holiday. I know pink, red, and white often come to mind on Feb. 14, but the latter two are also associated with Christmas. At least Halloween is unique with its black and orange.
I guess Valentine’s Day has fancy flowers, but, given the winter season, they will likely wither away in a few weeks anyway. Even the chocolate isn’t unique since most holidays have some form of the delicious treat available. Even then, I look forward to the discounted chocolate available after the holidays because who doesn’t like cheap chocolate.
Also, imagine society making a whole debacle about celebrating lovers when many of us are single, whether that be because we aren’t looking for love or just can’t find any. If we’re getting a holiday for people in a relationship to celebrate their love, single people should get their own, too, so they don’t feel like garbage. This might bring some balance to Valentine’s Day, which still doesn’t have much going for it anyway.
In China, there’s a holiday for single people called Singles’ Day, celebrated on Nov. 11, which isn’t ideal for obvious reasons in Canada, but it would be great if Canada adopted a similar holiday. At least I know it exists somewhere in the world — I’d have a lot more to say if it didn’t.
Even then, I find it pointless to dedicate one singular day to showing love to those you care about when you could do it at any other time of the year. New Year’s Eve, Christmas, even Halloween for those who want to have some interesting memories to cherish. Showing love and appreciation for people should take place everyday.
When it comes to public displays of affection, I don’t think bystanders need to know how much a couple loves each other with grandiose acts and certain actions, which should probably take place behind closed doors. I haven’t seen too many of these acts personally, but that still sadly means I have seen them and have possibly been desensitized for better or worse.
Again, I know showing love and appreciation is important, especially with all things considered at the moment, but we don’t need a holiday for that — just show it when it comes up. If certain people insist on keeping Valentine’s Day around, at least make singles’ appreciation day a holiday at some point.
The only thing I can appreciate about Valentine’s Day is the leftover discounted chocolate from retailers that comically failed to make some money from those celebrating this dumb holiday.
