The Mycenaean

 Whether you love it or you hate it, Valentine’s day is right around the corner again. Do you anticipate this holiday or dread it? (photo courtesy of Abigail Mabe)

It’s February again, the time of year for “cuffed relationships”, singing valentines, and lots of love. As we move into this season, people are either dreading/anticipating Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is a highly debated holiday. Should it be a nationally celebrated holiday or should it be disbanded? Can only people in romantic relationships celebrate this holiday?

According to some, Valentine’s Day should be celebrated around the nation: 

Valentine’s Day is a holiday to show love to friends and family. Valentine’s Day allows for people to be honest about their feelings and be more transparent than during any other day in the year. 

“I have a positive opinion of Valentine’s Day. I think it is a good practice to show love and affection for your partner and celebrate that on a specific day,” said Jackson Toburen, student at Leesville Road High School. 

Collin Sharp, a student at LRHS, agrees with this opinion. “Although there are people that aren’t in relationships, it’s important for those that are to take time to show their love [on Valentine’s Day].”

Most people think of Valentine’s Day as a day to celebrate exclusively romantic relationships, but Valentine’s Day is also an opportunity to show love to friends and family. It is an opportunity to show appreciation to those who raised you, those who feed you, those who work for you and with you. 

“…Valentine’s Day is a good holiday to have because of what it stands for and what it reminds us of,” said Toburen. Not only can Valentine’s Day remind us of our love for romantic partners, but our love for those who surround us daily.

“[Valentine’s Day] just feels really fun and celebrates one of the most important parts of humanity — the fact that we can feel love for people,” said Kharis Greear. 

Also, with holidays come candy and good feelings. Why not have a reason to celebrate? As people, we love celebrating any occasion, and this is the perfect one. Valentine’s Day is an occasion to eat candy hearts, receive and give flowers, and overall have a good time with your family and friends. Sometimes we need a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and holidays give us an allotted time to relieve stress with others, so why not celebrate Valentine’s Day?

For others, Valentine’s Day is a waste of a holiday. Especially for those without romantic relationships, it can be a depressing and lonely time to spend alone. “My least favorite thing is that sometimes people blow [Valentine’s Day] out of proportions, and are insensitive about other’s feelings. Some people don’t have someone, and they can feel especially lonely on the day of the year where America focuses on love,” said Greear.

 

Seeing other couples spending time together on Valentine’s Day can be hard for those who are not in a relationship or do not wish to spread love to family and friends. “For many [Valentine’s Day] is a lonely time,” said Lila Killian, student at LRHS. 

Not only is Valentine’s Day a lonely time for many people, but it is often also seen as unnecessary. “I believe that people should not just show their love and affection to their loved ones only once a year, but everyday,” said Monique Dacanay, student at LRHS. Valentine’s Day is seen as the only day to truly show love towards others.

“My favorite part [about Valentine’s Day] is gifts or candy,” said Killian. There is not a large focus on the actual purpose of Valentine’s Day, the day to give love and affection to your friends and family. Instead, there is a focus on candy and flowers, the materialistic objects, so why should there be a holiday if there is no focus on the intended meaning of it?

In this perspective, Valentine’s Day is a superfluous holiday not necessary to show love to those who deserve it when you could do it every other day of the year. It provokes loneliness for those not involved in romantic relationships or positive relationships with those around them.