Is Valentine’s Day Overrated?

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National Geographic Kids

Is Valentine’s day just love on steroids?

Emma Safari, Photojournalist
February 14, 2023

Initially, Valentine’s day originated after Emperor Claudius II executed two men, who were both named Valentine, on February 14th of two different years. Afterward, the Catholic Church deemed February 14th a holiday to celebrate the deaths of the two St. Valentines. Today, we celebrate Valentine’s Day with our significant others and often include chocolates, flowers, and dinner. So the question lies, is Valentine’s day overrated? “I think Valentine’s day is both overrated and not. I think it’s always fun to have a day where you can celebrate love, but I also think that people can take advantage of it to show off,” Mylie Brown (10).

 

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“I think Valentine’s day is both overrated and not. I think it’s always fun to have a day where you can celebrate love, but I also think that people can take advantage of it to show off.”

— Mylie Brown (10).

 

While Valentine’s day is  dedicated entirely to spending time with your significant other, love should not only be celebrated on a designated day. “I think Valentine’s day is overrated because you should love people every single day. I don’t think people should look forward to Valentine’s day because you should feel appreciated and loved every day, especially when you are dating someone in a relationship or have a significant other,” shares Chloe Skagen (11).

A commercialized holiday should not determine whether or not couples go out of their way to express their love to one another. As the day approaches, many stores are stocking up on heart-shaped candies, red and pink teddy bears, and dozens of red roses; the prices of these goods are rising. This makes the pressure to find the perfect gift even more stressful. “Also, I feel like Valentine’s day is more or less a money grab, and it can stress out people in relationships when trying to find the perfect gift. People who aren’t dating someone or are stuck in an odd position with someone can feel extremely left out and underappreciated when they compare themselves to people in relationships. Even if you aren’t in a relationship, it can make you feel terrible when you see all these happy couples. It almost makes you feel uninvolved,” continues Chloe Skagen (11). 

Couples should regularly get each other flowers and go on dates. A random day in February should not be the sole reason behind a random act of kindness. A flower on any given day and a small note to show how much you care can brighten your significant other’s mood. Valentine’s day  should not revolve around how much you spend or how well you plan out a day; it should just be like every other day that you are with your significant other: you should make your significant other feel loved regularly.