Valentine's Day
Well we know this comes around every year, the dreadful Valentine's day blanket of "look what my babe got me", and "I'm so in love". Well I wouldn't say I'm a cynic, but I would say I believe that holiday's like these are so hurtful for friends, family and significant others. The reason I say this is because we put some many significant expectations on others today, more than any other day. We expect flowers, we expect cards and gifts. But what we're really saying is give me all the things that show me you love me so I can post it on social media. What we are really telling ourselves is based on what we get is how much your partner or family loves and appreciates you. Obviously we know that gifts and kind gestures are such a great way to let people know you care, but why do we limit this to one day? I know there are so many people asking the same question, but lets be real... It is a legitimate question. Why do we feel the need to limit our kindness and love for just one day?
Let's take a peek at what Valentine's day is and where the roots first set into place. According to Olivia Waxman's article written for Time magazine, there are a slue of legends tied into Valentine's day. Beginning with good old Saint Valentine himself. Many countries from the Chech Republic and France, to Scotland and the Roman empire claim to be the full fledged reason we celebrate this day. However, so many people don't know the true background of Saint Valentine, thus leaving many different stories as to how it actually came about.
Catholics believe that Saint Valentine himself was beheaded today for some apparent secretive reason. Others say that Saint Valentine was caught secretly marrying couples today. Pagans believe that today is celebrated because it is associated with fertility. Roman's celebrated Valentine's day by pairing men and women in a match making lottery. During this time the men would slap the women with the hides of the goats and dogs they had killed. According to Waxman, this was thought to make them fertile.
Valentine's day did not become a celebrated holiday until the Middle Ages. The change happened to be influenced by "courtly love" that was beginning to form in Europe. According to Waxman, Saint Valentine's was a cheerful way to express romance, and court your partner. The traditions of Valentine's day including the not so traditional ones, have been happening for hundreds of years. However, nobody could quite pinpoint why we celebrate. If you really dig deep into the holiday you can see that even the Catholic church celebrates Valentine's day. But you would be surprised to know that there are at least three different "Valentine's days" you can celebrate depending on the saint you wish to honor. Besides the date Westerners have chosen you can honor Valentine's day on November 3rd, January 7th and get this lady Valentine herself on July 25th. The only female Valentine or better known as Valentina was a Virgin martyred on this day.
Valentine's day didn't become a "Hallmark" holiday with the cards and frills until the 19th century. We are able to mass produce cards, candies and the dreaded stuffed bear. The retail market is set to make over 19 million dollars just on Valentine's day crap alone. Now if that doesn't scare you, I don't know what will. People have misconstrued this holiday as a reason to spend money. I have always been a fan of the anti Valentine's day celebration. Why must we celebrate something that is essentially made up by big corporations? Valentine's day if celebrated like it was intended, is a day to honor fertility, courting and celebrating marriage. This is not a day to be showering your lover with gifts, cards and candy. These traditions are not the way it was intended. We are allowing corporations to dictate how we cherish our loved ones. We as modern era people are allowing this to showboat our possessions.
I know I am rambling, and might sound a bit crazy! So I will end this post with this....
I would like to think that we as human beings can show our love and appreciation for each other every day with small kind gestures. Don't allow the things to transcend on the true meaning of this day. Allow your heart to always celebrate Valentine's day with everyone you love.
Let's take a peek at what Valentine's day is and where the roots first set into place. According to Olivia Waxman's article written for Time magazine, there are a slue of legends tied into Valentine's day. Beginning with good old Saint Valentine himself. Many countries from the Chech Republic and France, to Scotland and the Roman empire claim to be the full fledged reason we celebrate this day. However, so many people don't know the true background of Saint Valentine, thus leaving many different stories as to how it actually came about.
Valentine's day did not become a celebrated holiday until the Middle Ages. The change happened to be influenced by "courtly love" that was beginning to form in Europe. According to Waxman, Saint Valentine's was a cheerful way to express romance, and court your partner. The traditions of Valentine's day including the not so traditional ones, have been happening for hundreds of years. However, nobody could quite pinpoint why we celebrate. If you really dig deep into the holiday you can see that even the Catholic church celebrates Valentine's day. But you would be surprised to know that there are at least three different "Valentine's days" you can celebrate depending on the saint you wish to honor. Besides the date Westerners have chosen you can honor Valentine's day on November 3rd, January 7th and get this lady Valentine herself on July 25th. The only female Valentine or better known as Valentina was a Virgin martyred on this day.
Valentine's day didn't become a "Hallmark" holiday with the cards and frills until the 19th century. We are able to mass produce cards, candies and the dreaded stuffed bear. The retail market is set to make over 19 million dollars just on Valentine's day crap alone. Now if that doesn't scare you, I don't know what will. People have misconstrued this holiday as a reason to spend money. I have always been a fan of the anti Valentine's day celebration. Why must we celebrate something that is essentially made up by big corporations? Valentine's day if celebrated like it was intended, is a day to honor fertility, courting and celebrating marriage. This is not a day to be showering your lover with gifts, cards and candy. These traditions are not the way it was intended. We are allowing corporations to dictate how we cherish our loved ones. We as modern era people are allowing this to showboat our possessions.I know I am rambling, and might sound a bit crazy! So I will end this post with this....
I would like to think that we as human beings can show our love and appreciation for each other every day with small kind gestures. Don't allow the things to transcend on the true meaning of this day. Allow your heart to always celebrate Valentine's day with everyone you love.
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