Commercializing love

Valentine's Day is supposed to be a day where couples show how much they care for each other by purchasing gifts for one another. However, the ones who really benefit from this day are the companies that promote Valentine's day. Companies promote the day as an event vital to any relationship, with the idea that, if  couples do not buy anything for each other, it could break the relationship, or worse, indicate that they are not loved. In this sense, Valentine's has turned into another 'Hallmark holiday' like Halloween or Mother's/Father's Day.

The public is bombarded with commercials and advertisements as soon as February begins, and sometimes even earlier, to start looking for that perfect gift for their significant other.  If you really love somebody, you do not need a day to express it and make it into an event.  People should not feel pressured into buying somebody they love a gift to prove how much they love them.

Valentine's Day has a very inconsistent history. Many agree Valentine was a saint but the actual stories vary.  According to History.com, The History Channel's website, some say Valentine was a saint during the third century in Rome under the rule of Emperor Claudias II.  The emperor had declared that young men could not get married because, in his opinion, single men made better soldiers.  Seeing this as an unjust decree, Valentine would wed young lovers in secrecy.  However, when he was found out, Claudius ordered that Valentine be killed, thus making him a martyr for love. It is said that he even sent the first 'Valentine' card himself, when imprisoned, supposedly to the jailor's daughter and signed it "From your Valentine." There is another tale that says Valentine's Day was a way to Christianize the pagan ritual Lupercalia, a festival commemorating the beginning of spring, which was also considered a time of purification.

Regardless of its origins, today Valentine's Day has turned into a "one-up" contest where couples strive to make this year's Valentine's Day better than the last.  I can see the appeal of a challenge, but sometimes it can be taken a bit too seriously.  It was originally a religious affair, which has now been commercialized so that people are guilted into purchasing gifts so that people have bragging rights as to who received the better Valentine. If one person truly loves another, they do not need a Valentine's Day gift or event to prove their love. They could demonstrate their love every day. Gifts are definitely nice and I am all for them. But you can always buy a gift for your love anytime of the year.  A person's love is not measured by gifts and money spent.  It is measured by effort, devotion and affection. Gift or no gift.