By: Kimberly Martinez and Cody Olsen
Every February 14 couples gather together and celebrate the love they feel for one another. This tradition has been around since the Romans celebrated the festival “Lupercalia” way back in the year 496 ACD. The name of the holiday comes from the legend of Saint Valentine who went against the banishment of marriage set by Emperor Claudius II. When he was discovered to be performing marriages the Saint was sent to jail where he fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. February 14th :The day that he was sent to be killed, Saint Valentine sent a letter to his love signed “from your Valentine” cementing the tradition that would continue for many years to come.
Over the years Valentine’s Day has become a memorable day for many who have that special someone to spend the holiday with. When it comes to how people celebrate the holiday it really just depends on the couple. Some decide to go all out with an expensive dinner while others prefer to do something simple like spending time together at home.
“I really enjoy Valentine’s Day. It’s a super cute holiday. I love the vibe of it with all the colors and hearts. I also enjoy it because it gives me a chance to show my love to the people I care about,” Melanie Luna shared.
Couples have a variety of options on how they choose to celebrate on this extra special day. Some options being having a photo shoot, recreating their first date, going on a trip, having a picnic, or having a movie marathon. How the couple chose to celebrate the holiday is up to them.
Senior Bibiana Martin shares that her plan to celebrate this year, “Is to do something crafty with my boyfriend, eat food we both like, watch movies and just ultimately spend time together.”
Valentine’s Day isn’t just a celebration for couples but instead it is a celebration of love itself. Many express their love for their significant other on this holiday as well as their love for their family and friends. This holiday means something different for every person.
The meaning of Valentine’s Day to Senior Natalia Romero, “Is to spend time and show any special person in your life that you really admire and appreciate them. This holiday is special for me because it reminds me that I have so many people to be thankful for and love which just makes me happy.”
We spend 25.5 billion dollars on Valentine’s Day every year making it the third most expensive holiday for consumers. When you think about celebrating Valentine’s day you usually think about bears clutching hearts to themselves, bunches of flowers, and big boxes of chocolates. Companies have also noticed this correlation and capitalize on the Valentine’s day rush the same way toy companies do for Christmas.
Spanish teacher, Elliot Cavale doesn’t like this consumer-based holiday and instead believes that, “Valentine’s Day should be about celebrating love. Not buying flowers and chocolates, and not only relationships but the love of friends and family as well.”
In the early 1700s instead of store bought items many consumers resorted to hand made gifts when they were low on money but to also show how much they cared for the person they are gifting it too. And since then people tend to prefer a handmade gift over a store bought one.
Natalia Romero expresses that when it comes to receiving a gift for valentines, “Any gift I am super grateful for but if I had to choose I’d say a handmade gift because it shows that person really took the time and effort to make it for you which is really sweet.”
In agreement with Natalia, Melanie Luna shares that when it comes to a store bought gift or a handmade gift, “I’d prefer either one but I think a handmade gift is a bit more special because it takes time and effort to make it.”
Valentine’s Day is the best holiday for people to show off their affection with large tokens of love. However lately it has slowly become more about consuming products than it is about the love and affection that can exist between people.
According to Bibiana Martin, “I think showing your love for those you care for is what makes the holiday so special and specifically for me showing my love for my boyfriend by spending quality time together and doing fun little dates together based on our likings in common.”
For Valentines Day this year try and make something for your partner, or your best friend, or even your mother, something handmade or thoughtfully planned. The thought that goes into a gift means so much more than the price tag attached to it.