Beech Tree News Network

Next Sunday is Valentine’s Day, and since I usually cook Sunday lunch for my family, I thought I’d make strawberry cake for dessert that day – a nod to the day of red and pink. Although Valentine’s Day is a day to show our love, it has been commercialized. Americans spend quite a bit of money on cards and gifts.

We associate this day with cards, candy, flowers, jewelry, and various other gifts. Referring to the money spent, Kathleen Davis said that “…92 percent of married Americans with children will spend most of that money…on their spouse; the rest goes to Valentine's Day gifts for kids, friends, coworkers and even pets” (http://www.womansday.com/relationships/a4702/10-fun-valentines-day-facts...). Other interesting statistics about this holiday include the following (http://www.statisticbrain.com/valentines-day-statistics/):
•    Percent of Valentine’s Day cards bought by women: 85%
•    Percent of all flowers purchased by men: 73%
•    Amount the average consumer spends on Valentine’s Day: $116.21
•    Percent of consumers who celebrate Valentine’s Day: 61.8%
Valentine’s Day can become expensive.

I asked friends and family, “If it were possible, would you change Valentine’s Day or the way it is celebrated? If so, what would you change and why?” Their responses are listed below:
•    I would change it to celebrate something else or for everyone to have lower expectations of it. In my opinion, some regard it higher than Christmas and Easter.
•    I have never been fond of Valentine’s Day, and I’m not sure why. I feel as though you should do your best to make your loved ones feel special every day that you can, not just one day out of the year.
•    Free Reese’s peanut butter cups for everyone, and they wouldn’t make you fat!
•    Nice to have a day for love. But, grown up love is every day in small gestures of caring.
•    I would change Valentine’s Day to focus more on loving others instead of being loved or being a couple. Loving others could include everyone. Valentine’s Day tends to exclude those not in a relationship.
•    The only thing I would change is deliveries to schools. Every child doesn’t get something, and that causes hurt feelings.
•    Like most holidays, Valentine’s Day has been overtaken by commercialism. Kids used to exchange paper Valentine cards and maybe some conversation heart candy. Now, the kids get bigger gifts than the adults used to. It’s a competition of “how much you buy for me is how much you love me.” I wish life were simpler and sentiments were from the heart, not just a competition of who can buy the most roses.
•    I like Valentine’s Day! I can’t think what I would change.
•    No, I guess it’s ok like it is. It’s too close to Christmas though!
•    I definitely wouldn’t want to get rid of the chocolate, but it would be awesome if everyone wrote letters or made handmade cards instead of buying them.
•    I will admit that sometimes I get the romance bug and would like a little more in my life on February 14th. Then, I remember how blessed I am day to day with a husband who is amazing, and I realize I’m being kind of silly.
•    I really don’t see the need for a Valentine’s Day. If you love someone, you show them every day.
•    No, I like Valentine’s Day!
•    Everything would be closed and no school – a national holiday!
•    I would prefer less money be spent and more thoughtful gestures or homemade gifts and notes be given.
•    I don’t have any ideas about how to change Valentine’s Day.

I would not do away with Valentine’s Day because so many people enjoy it. On the other hand, I don’t think people should feel obligated to prove their love by purchasing expensive gifts. I believe that any expression of affection should be comfortable (including financial comfort). And, if I could make it happen, everyone would have someone to wish them a happy Valentine’s Day.

Robert Heinlein said, “Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/11/valentines-day-quotes-bes_n_459...). I hope Valentine’s Day will not only be a day of love, but will also be a happy day for you. And, hopefully, my strawberry cake will be a pretty pink.