Valentine’s Day – A nation divided?

The shops are full with horrendously overpriced pink and red fluffy things, and card companies are competing for ‘the most vomit-inducing, slush-fest card’ award.

Valentine’s Day is a bit like Marmite - you either love it or you hate it. And, whilst I’ve seen a few people saying how they don’t do anything for it with their partners, I have noticed that many people’s opinions of Valentine’s Day seem to change depending on their relationship status…

Certainly Valentine’s Day can be slightly depressing when you are single - I’ve had about 10 emails a day for the last 2 weeks from various shopping sites reminding me to buy now for delivery in time for Valentine’s Day (Guess that serves me right for having an online shopping habit!). Each of these emails has been promptly deleted, unread.

But I have to say, having spent the last few years in a relationship agonising over ‘Should I get something for him, how much is too much, how much is too little’, I’m actually quite happy that this year Valentine’s Day is passing me by with no stress!

You see, I DO agree with people when they say that Valentine’s Day is a manufactured scam to get people to part with their hard-earned cash. I DO think that if you love someone then you should do nice things for them all year round, not just one day that is dictated by society. 

BUT…having said that, Valentine’s Day is thought to have originated around Roman times (long before Clinton Cards got on the bandwagon), and there are many theories of who Valentine was.

My personal favourite is the story that the Roman Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men, because single men were better soldiers, and Valentine was a priest who defied him by marrying young lovers in secret! It’s theorized that he was then put to death when he was discovered, hence his sainthood. 

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, and really what is wrong with that?!

Yes, it’s over-marketed, overpriced and over-the-top these days, but you CAN choose not to participate in this side of it!

Show your appreciation for your partner every day of the year, but on Valentine’s Day why NOT use it as an excuse to do something extra special? Cook a meal, bake some homemade heart-shaped cookies, make a card, light some candles!

To me the most important thing would simply be to spend some quality time with my partner, so coupled up people, embrace the fact that society provides you with the perfect opportunity to do so!

This year I am happily single, and in all honesty, for all my moaning I don’t really mind all the Valentine’s Day propaganda.  It doesn’t make me feel bad that I haven’t got someone in my life that I want to share this day with, but excited for when I do have someone, and happy for my friends who already have that.

So I guess it isn’t a love or hate kind of day. Now tell me, what are your feelings on Marmite?

Happy Valentine's Day! X