The Day

What began as a formal public worship celebration has become a "spend a lot of money" day. The expectations some people have for Valentine's Day astounds me.

According to Wikepedia:

The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th-century England, it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). In Europe, Saint Valentine's Keys are given to lovers "as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver’s heart", as well as to children, in order to ward off epilepsy (called Saint Valentine's Malady).[6] Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.[7]

I, personally, do not celebrate the day. I guess I think it's silly to make "a day" to show someone that you love them. Better yet, make it everyday in the little things that you say or do. For example, it snowed last night where I live. When I got out to my car this morning I realized that my husband had already cleaned it off for me. Now, in my opinion, that shows how much he loves me.

In elementary schools kids exchange Valentine's. Although it's fun for the kids it drives me a little crazy to spend the time preparing them to give away only for them to be thrown out after we've "kept" them for a little too long and they get strewn about the house.

However if you were expecting flowers, chocolate, or a card and you didn't get them, think about how disappointing that would be. But if you got them all, did you reciprocate? If you as a female expect these things, who says that males don't expect the same?

In my opinion Valentine's Day is a Hallmark holiday and the commercial industries make out pretty well. I choose not to participate.