2008 Woodie Awards
Valentine's Day over-commercialiazed
by Matthew Jackson
Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: Opinion
The newness of 2008 has already begun to wear off and it's almost Valentine's Day. Many of you already know the history of St. Valentine and how the holiday has evolved over the centuries.
To say the holiday is overrated would be cliché. It's not that I don't like it; I just happen to think it's one of the most depressing times of year. Of course, it always makes me feel pathetic when the day rolls around and I find myself spending it alone. But even with a significant other, I still seem to be dreading the day.
The commercialization of Valentine's Day places high expectations on couples, particularly males, to go all-out financially for their special someone. In other words, one person or group sets the bar, and everyone else has to rise to, or exceed it. I'm a woman; why should this affect me?
At the same time men are expected to bring home flowers, chocolates and expensive jewelry, women are waiting for these gifts. They are expected to expect them. If their special someone fails to meet the expectations set by society, women are expected to be unhappy and see their men as failures in the relationship.
Nobody wants to be unhappy. It isn't fair to make ourselves miserable over something someone didn't do just because it was socially expected. It isn't like him forgetting to wipe his feet before entering your parents' home.
Think about it, girls. Flowers wilt and die, jewelry can get lost, stolen or break, and chocolate- well, we all know the effects it can have. These are products you could buy for yourself any day. Do they really serve us any purpose at all? I for one am tired of being told what to expect, and how to rate my relationship on what other people see as perfect.
Instead of whining about not getting candy or flowers on one particular day of the year, I choose to focus on the practical acts boyfriends do for us throughout the year. I think it's sad that the things we tend to consider as small, are really important. However, these actions are superficially overlooked for candy hearts and teddy bears.
This Valentine's Day should be a time to honor your honey by recognizing and appreciating all they do for you throughout the year and letting them know that those things matters the most to you.
To say the holiday is overrated would be cliché. It's not that I don't like it; I just happen to think it's one of the most depressing times of year. Of course, it always makes me feel pathetic when the day rolls around and I find myself spending it alone. But even with a significant other, I still seem to be dreading the day.
The commercialization of Valentine's Day places high expectations on couples, particularly males, to go all-out financially for their special someone. In other words, one person or group sets the bar, and everyone else has to rise to, or exceed it. I'm a woman; why should this affect me?
At the same time men are expected to bring home flowers, chocolates and expensive jewelry, women are waiting for these gifts. They are expected to expect them. If their special someone fails to meet the expectations set by society, women are expected to be unhappy and see their men as failures in the relationship.
Nobody wants to be unhappy. It isn't fair to make ourselves miserable over something someone didn't do just because it was socially expected. It isn't like him forgetting to wipe his feet before entering your parents' home.
Think about it, girls. Flowers wilt and die, jewelry can get lost, stolen or break, and chocolate- well, we all know the effects it can have. These are products you could buy for yourself any day. Do they really serve us any purpose at all? I for one am tired of being told what to expect, and how to rate my relationship on what other people see as perfect.
Instead of whining about not getting candy or flowers on one particular day of the year, I choose to focus on the practical acts boyfriends do for us throughout the year. I think it's sad that the things we tend to consider as small, are really important. However, these actions are superficially overlooked for candy hearts and teddy bears.
This Valentine's Day should be a time to honor your honey by recognizing and appreciating all they do for you throughout the year and letting them know that those things matters the most to you.
Be the first to comment on this story