Opinions On Valentines Day!!

[melrich]

Let me say right upfront...Valentines Day is a crock. Why do we succumb to marketers and retailers inventing new ways to make us buy stuff. On principle my g/f and I have an agreement not to buy each other anything or acknowledge the day. We do all sorts of stuff for each other spontaneously and throughout the year.

 

I don't need some chocolate manufacturer telling me I should acknowledge my love for my g/f with a box of their product on this particular day. I rate it on the same level as secretaries day etc. To me it is just a cop out.

 

I always find the funniest thing about the day is all these people trying to think up something new and original to do....but conforming to the practice of acknowledging the day!!

 

What does everyone else think? Anyone else think they are just being manipulated?

[mermayd]

Absolutely! Spontaneous things throughout the year are SO much better. Even if I get something on Vday, I feel like tis forced. Like he is obligated to do so. I dont want to be obligated and I dont want him to either! It is good for those who have a hard time expressing their feelings on other days of the year and its also good for people who are just starting out in relationships bc they can give something without freeaking the other person out. But overall, for the rest of us, its simply materialistic. If you are getting something for someone, its like you are buying them over (especially if its jewelry) and if you are one to demand something on Vday, you are WAY materialistic and superficial.

[SkyFire]

I hardly buy stuff even for my gf.

 

I prefer to take them to an awesome date, and show them the best time of their life.

 

But yes, very good point. It is just easy to manipulate people on that day, which leads to more commercial sucess.

[goddess23]

hey honestly im not a big believer in valentines. the one bf i had i didnt expect him to do anything really spectacular. valentines in the past has just been a really bad day for me, once i threw up twice, another year it was the funeral of someone very close to me. and since all the years i never had anyone really special except for last year, valentines has never been something i really looked forward to. however, its like a birthday, i mean its just one day but you would expect your significant other to do something special right? its a tradition. even though i personally dont expect my bf to go buy the chocs n' flowers, i think if i am in a relationship with someone, it should be a day to somewhat take some time to focus on the love. even if its just spending the day together or a card or a nice date. but generally i think the way girls react towards valentines is very annoying. as if they guy should do so much....in that sense vday is a crock! but it is a date dedicated to the most wonderful thing, love and it is a valid holiday however it is made a media mockery.

[melrich]

Yeah Goddess I tend to agree. I am not sure how "traditional" the day is...I seem to recall the whole gift giving thing only started in the 1950s. Give a card, say "I love you" but leave the gifts and romantic ideas for a day when nothing is EXPECTED of you. EXPECTED because the marketers tell us to EXPECT something.

[Kitz]

I wish people here celebrated it, but no one does. Seriously, I would like, melt if someone just out of the blue gave me roses and chocolates.. when I was in yr 4 my best friend's boyfriend gave her a bunch of roses and these chocolates, and we still remember it now, six years later. hahaha. x333

[Ontario]

Celebrated or not, I plan to do something from the heart for my darling Ashlee.

[cremebrulee]

I totally agree that Valentines day is overrated. I don't think it is necessary to buy flowers and chocolates and jewels (especially when the price of roses doubles for the day) but i do think it is nice to share the evening with your loved one and either have a nice meal somewhere or cook a romantic dinner at home. A nice message written in a card is more valuable than chocolates. I also agree that it is far nicer to have lots of small gestures throughout the year. I'd much rather get a bunch of flowers on a regular day than on Vday when it feels like its just out of obligation.

[ShySoul]

Wow, surprised that so many people agree with me that valentine's is really unoriginal and not romantic. I also think that doing something unexpected clear out of the blue would be much more romantic and special. I don't need one day set aside to tell someone I love her, I'll do that all year long. And it just makes everyone who is single feel depressed. Not a very good day.

[MetalJoe]

There was a similar discussion on a snowboard forum I'm a regular on. I don't think we had anyone like the idea of V-day. Everyone agreed it was commercial, meaningless and unromantic - better to show your love throughout the year than on one day. I agree totally with that.

[MetalJoe]

Interestingly, most of the couples on the forum either don't celebrate it or do something very simple rather than overblown and/or expensive gestures.

[RayKay]

Yes, it has become a very highly commercialized holiday. It was not always that way though, and started with quite a crazy history:

 

link removed

 

Anyway, I do agree that it is the little things that you do through the year that count, but that does not mean that you should necessarily reject doing anything for Valentines Day just because it is Valentines Day. I know a lot of people hate it as it seems forced, but if you honestly DO do things through year for your partner, why not something on that day as well? I usually will get or make a card, and a little gift for us to share, or even just a nice massage for him...but it is more about showing that even if you do think it is a generic, Hallmark Holiday, you still care about your partner enough to make it a day for the two of YOU regardless of how "Hallmark it is"...not you and a few billion others.

 

I could care less what he does for me just because it is V-Day as I don't need gifts and such, but I tell you it warms my heart if he does make a gesture "despite" it being V-Day...and it only has to be a matter of us spending some time together cuddling and talking to make me purr with happiness. If it's a day like any other, then make it a day like any other and still treat your partner to some of your time and your heart as you should do every day

[boredguy]

i agree with most things on the post. but heres a lil something for ya. what if you're in a fun relationship. keyword being 'fun' where u like each other, but then because of all the valentines *bleep* floating around. theres pressure to say 'i love you' which isnt right to say if u dont mean it.

the pressure is because of all the little teddy ears sayin it, the candy hearts. the cards. bah...humbug...did i just say humbug? u can see how perturbed this gets me. what do u guys think ?

[fantasia2004]

truly