It’s Valentine’s Day again.
Every year, married people, people dating and even single people look forward to Valentine’s Day so they can buy for their significant others a bouquet of flowers, chocolate, a glass of wine and many other generic gifts.
How necessary is this holiday? Here are some reasons you can boycott it;
1. It is a pagan holiday
Historically, Valentine’s Day began from the pagan holiday Lupercalia. It occurred in the middle of February and celebrated fertility. Men went naked and sacrificed goats and rams, young men then used the hide from the animals to whip young women.
This tradition was abolished by the Catholic church and converted to celebrate a martyred Saint Valentine. Interestingly, historically, there are two Saint Valentines, we don’t even know the one we are celebrating.
2. It is not a romantic holiday
Who made the holiday about romantic love anyway? If we are looking at it historically, it isn’t a romantic holiday.
Even though some poets gave romantic connotations to Valentine’s Day, it was not meant to celebrate romantic love. Shakespeare in the play ‘Hamlet’ wrote, “Tomorrow is Saint Valentine’s day…to be your Valentine.” Could this be the romantic origin of Valentine’s Day?
3. It is capitalist and consumerism
People spend unnecessary money and put themselves under pressure just to make corporations happy. Buying wine, chocolate and other gifts on some particular occasion makes other people richer. There are nobler ways to spend money.
4. Celebrating Valentine’s Day is not proof of love
If you and your partner decide not to celebrate Valentine’s Day, it doesn’t mean that you do not love each other.
Don’t you show love every other day in other ways? Do you love your partner more on that day and less on other days? Should you save all the romantic gestures until the 14th?
5. Valentine’s Day puts an unusually high burden on men
Let’s face it, it is men who bear the financial burden of Valentine’s Day and it can be a heavy and lopsided one to carry.
