When I was in High School, members of the Student Government Organization, hosted an annual event where students were given the opportunity to buy inexpensive gifts for their Valentines which were hand -delivered on Valentine’s Day.
From plastic roses to teddy bears to balloons, delivered anonymously or with special, hand-written love notes, it was a fun way to celebrate.
We all pretended that receiving these gifts meant nothing. But we all secretly coveted them.
We fixed our teddy bears to the zippers of our backpacks; we placed our roses strategically inside so they wouldn’t completely fit, and we acted as if carrying our balloons was the biggest inconvenience. And yet, no one would just let them go.
For adults, Valentine’s Day is sometimes perceived differently.
I’ve heard it described as a bogus holiday created to promote capitalistic agendas.
(See From the Mind of ILL)
I’ve heard complaints about the pressures associated with expressing your love on one day, when it should be expressed all year long. I’ve heard romantics who take it for simply what it is: a day spent with the person you love, being in love.
The truth?
Valentine’s Day originated when the Roman Emperor Claudius II decided that young men could not marry because they were subsequently more reluctant to serve in the army and leave their wives at home.
St. Valentine was a priest who secretly continued to marry these couples.
His actions were discovered and Emperor Claudius II commanded his execution on February 14th, 270 A.D.
So in actuality, Valentine’s Day is nothing about capitalism or the expression of love. It isn’t even about the person you love.
Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate your right to love.
So celebrate!
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