Tuesday, February 16, 2010

St. Valentine's Day

Has St. Valentine's Day reached that oh-so-elusive holiday status where it requires the obligatory post by anyone who considers himself moderately insightful? I feel as thought the very presence of this post on my blog serves as an adequate "yeah."

If you've been sentient within the last 10 years you have probably noticed that a lot of people hate this holiday, especially single people. I'm a little late adding my 3¢ to the discussion (I like to not arrogantly assume that what I have to say is a little more valuable than what others have, the proverbial 2¢, naturally). I just wanted to wait and see that my perceptions during this particular St. Valentine's day remained unclouded by the day's presence.

I think, overall, I am a fan of St. Valentine's Day. Not the movie. People say that it is a completely fabricated holiday for the benefit of Walmart and Hallmark and other sundry companies. I think they have a point. But to hate it on those grounds is not really the solution.

Why not undermine it's very purpose by celebrating it in a manner in which they don't benefit at all? Have a stay at home dinner, or a picnic! Instead of buying cards and flowers, why not write and make your own? Or just go an read the card, and then write it on construction paper! Much more romantic, yes?

St. Valetine's Day at it's uncommercialized core is a holiday for the celebration of love. And if you hate love, you're just a douche bag. So you may say "Why not celebrate love every day?!?" And I'd say "Good question. Probably because everyone hates everyone else or is at least to selfish to care."

It's like this--a birthday is for celebrating someone's birth, essentially, the fact that someone is alive. Now saying that people only care about love on St. Valentine's Day is like saying people don't care about someone being alive except on their birthday. Which actually may be the case. But it's not right.

I say we remedy it in both directions. Love everyone every day. Celebrate love every day. But also recognize that special occasions are bangin' too. (No pun intended).

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