Valentine's Day gets its name from various early Christian martyrs named Valentine and they had nothing to do with romance. The most widely repeated legend regarding Valentine's Day was actually provided by American Greetings so my calling it a Hallmark Holiday really isn't wrong.
My fondest memory of Valentine's Day was from when I was a little girl. Dad used to come home with a big heart-shaped box of chocolates for mom and a little heart-shaped box for me. I still remember how special I felt when he gave it to me.
Valentine's Day is the romantic equivalent of New Years' Eve. On New Years, you feel obligated to party and celebrate. On Valentine's the obligation is to be romantic. I don't like being forced to do anything. I don't need to be told when to party or when to be romantic. I can do both very well without any prompting.
I actually feel very sorry for men in February. One wrong move and you're an instant dumbass. My ex used to say that the jewellers and florist were all conspiring against him and I really don't think he was too far wrong. The flip side to all the hype is that if you are single, nothing like a day that hammers home the fact that you're alone.
Perhaps some people need the media assault to remind them to take a few minutes to do something special for their partner. Kind of sad really. Somehow the flowers seem less fragrant if you know that the only reason you got them is because society dictated it.
As much as we like to think we're above the hype, I think most women secretly want to be acknowledged in some way on that day. It doesn't need to be an over the top gesture, a simple card can be enough. As for me, well, I'd give anything to get another heart-shaped box of chocolates from my dad.
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