(CU Independent illustration/Kelly Kaoudis)
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Grocery stores are stockpiling heart-shaped boxes of chocolate, florists are working overtime to fill orders and Hallmark is seeing a sudden spike in sales�February is here.� For some, Valentine�s Day is set aside to appreciate their better halves.� For others, Valentine�s Day is one of the most dreaded days of the year.
In the past few years there has been more hatred surrounding Valentine�s Day than love.� Instead of being a day that people use to celebrate love, February 14th has morphed into America�s most hated holiday. Hordes of people are counting the days until it�s over.
Too often, people overemphasize the value that Valentine�s Day has, and place too much stress on the romantic aspect of it.� This is where the bulk of the disdain for the holiday, sometimes jokingly called, �Singles Awareness Day.�
Every year, there�s a mad rush to find someone to spend Valentine�s Day with. If you don�t, then you�re doomed to be depressed for the rest of the season until the holiday passes.� Being single doesn�t mean you have to hate Valentine�s Day, and doesn�t need to be depressing.� The simple truth is that Valentine�s Day is only one day out of the year, so all the hype and anxiety surrounding it is unnecessary.
The intention of Valentine�s Day is not to be depressing�in fact it is just the opposite.� Just because Hallmark and Hershey may have capitalized on some Valentine traditions, does not mean that the entire point of the holiday is insignificant, or moot.� It is a day set aside to celebrate the people who are important in our lives.
You don�t have to be an over-the-top fanatic, but the negative attitude towards Valentine�s Day is counterproductive and overdramatic.� For people who wish to celebrate the day of love, they should be able to do so without ridicule or disapproval from anyone.� It is a day set aside to celebrate someone truly important in your life, and it ought to be left at that.
For people who don�t have someone to celebrate with, or choose not to for some other reason, the solution is simple: they don�t have to.� The anti-Valentine�s crusade has reached unnecessary levels.
However you choose to spend Valentine�s Day this year, it should have a positive feel.� Let go of all the anxiety surrounding what to do, what to wear, and who to spend it with.
Valentine�s Day is designated for the important people in your life�whether it is romantic or not.� So love the people around you and love yourself.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Taryne Tosetti at [email protected].
