Anna Baynham
Staff Writer
When we were younger, many of us would beg and plead for our parents to buy us the boxes of cute and popular Valentine’s Day cards that you signed with your name, folded in half, and then put in an envelope with the heart sticker on it to seal the deal.
Passing them out to your fellow classmates and favorite teachers was a big deal in elementary and through most of middle school.
For females, giving your crush the card with biggest heart on the inside was the best part. On this day many of us gathered around with friends to show off our bounty and brag about whose cards were the best.
Actually convincing your parent’s that you needed more than one box for all of your friends was the hardest part of planning your Valentine’s Day.
As we got older, Valentine’s Day became more serious for some. It wasn’t just passing out cards to your friends and crushes anymore.
Adults instilled in males that they were to ask a female to be their Valentine. Males were told that chocolates, a teddy bear, and roses were the ultimate gifts.
While in school, we even had the option to “Send a Crush to your Crush,” or sending Cady Roses to your Valentine. We didn’t have to come out of pockets too much, the most you had to spend on Valentine’s Day was no more than $15. Let’s not forget, the money spent didn’t come from a job, it came from our parents.
It seems like the older we get, the more expensive this holiday of love becomes. The National Retail Federation estimates that Americans will spend approxiamately $17.6 billion on gifts and entertainment this year just for this one day! It leads me to ask, what is all the fuss about?
It seems that everything has changed about this holiday. It is no longer about showing expressions of love and caring, it is all about how much money you spend.
Personally, I feel like if you are not proposing to me, Valentine’s Day is just another day. Receiving a teddy bear at my age and roses is not that serious. As a college student, helping me buy books, food and clothes will help me out much more.
And if you are in a relationship, your loved one should treat you as if Valentine’s Day is every day. There shouldn’t be just one designated day for people to show their significant others how much you care about them.
So if you have a significant other, you won’t have to go all out with the bribery if you have been doing what you are supposed to year-round.
Don’t let this be the only day of the year you express love to those you care about. Tell them everyday.
And if you don’t have a Valentine, treat yourself!
The views expressed in the commentary are those of the writer(s) and in no way represent the views of The Blue & White Flash.
