Duke It Out: Valentine’s Day?

February 12, 2010 Posted in Features, Reality

[It's pretty obvious that the average CollegeCandy reader has some very strong opinions. Opinions that she likes to share with everyone on the site. We love a strong woman (unless she happens to be charging at us with her fists raised), so we thought we'd give her a real forum to discuss her thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Every Friday I'll be featuring a hot topic (like gay marriage!) and leaving it up to you, the readers, to duke it out. So, read it and get your debate on in the comments section below!]

By Lauren H

OK I know what you’re thinking, ”ugh, another Valentine’s post.” You’re probably as sick of hearing about this lovey-dovey holiday as I am (seriously, they put up the Cupid decorations on New Year’s Day!) but I think it’s about time we really had it out on this one.

Valentine’s Day – do or don’t?

On the one hand, I know a lot of people (single and not) who would just as soon abolish the holiday. If you’re single, V-Day can be a real downer – all those movies and shows about love, everyone who’s not single walking around and cooing about how great their significant other is (or complaining that they weren’t romantic enough), plus, if you want any of the chocolate that’s freaking everywhere, you have to go and buy it for yourself which can be a definite blow to the ego.

And if you’re in a couple, it’s no better because you suddenly have to do something. You have to find a present – making sure it’s not too serious but still serious enough - and do something romantic and potentially wear really uncomfortable underwear. It’s a pain in the butt (potentially literally)! The best case scenario is that you try not to make a big deal of it, maybe hang out with friends, and basically ignore the whole thing – so what’s the point?

On the other hand, I have had some cool Valentine’s Days (mostly without a guy). It’s a good excuse to go out and celebrate being single/coupled and fabulous, plus there’s gonna be tons of cheap candy around come February 15. V-Day is also pretty much the only real holiday we have that’s based around an emotion; it’s a day when it’s not weird or out of the blue to tell your mom/best friend/guy who delivers your takeout that you love them. Couldn’t we all use a day to just let everyone know they’re appreciated and be appreciated in return (now that I think about it, can we make this every Monday?)? Shouldn’t we all just embrace the love and not let a few little things get in the way of the spirit of the holiday?

What do you say, girls? Should Valentine’s Day go the way of it’s name sake (St. Valentine was executed, FYI)? Or is it worth keeping around, romantic entanglements or not? Duke it out!

536065 CommentsDuke+It+Out%3A+Valentine%27s+Day%3F2010-02-12+14%3A00%3A44Lauren+H+-+The+New+School on "Duke It Out: Valentine’s Day?"

Beth says:
Fri, 12th Feb 20105:55 am

I have been single every Valentines day and love it. I always have fun with my friends going and seeing cheesy movies and going out to dinner and such and I actually really like the concept for couples. It's a day to remind people to take some them time-to really celebrate what they have.

Erin says:
Fri, 12th Feb 20106:12 am

I liked the day when I was single and I still like it as part of a couple. Also to set the record straight for the people who are going to say it's a day started by Hallmark, it's not, it's a Christian holiday to commemorate the martyrdom of St. Valentine which was first a feast day and has been associated with love because supposedly he was the patron saint of lovers. However I will say the day has become extremely overrated like prom and it's awful counterpart the prom movie which makes us think prom should be magical. Commercials tell us St. Valentines day should be a magical day where a man showers you in flowers and jewelery from Kay's and buys you expensive dinner.

I say yay for the holiday to tell the person and people in your lives you love them. I also know people are going to say why don't you show those people love the whole year round? Because life is hard and you get burdened with the day to day living and often take forgranted the people you love. Which is another good reason for the day, to finally set aside some time for the people in your life and say "Hey, I love you.".

Heather says:
Fri, 12th Feb 20109:20 am

I've been single for basically every Valentine's Day of my 19 years of life.

And i ALWAYS have fun :] The past 3 Vdays (starting at age 16, which is when you really start to notice the 14th haha) have been great.

I think the key to liking Vday is to be with your friends celebrating all the good times you've had and good times to come.

This year I'm looking forward to the day, because:

1) I JUST got over my ex-boyfriend and the fact I'm not going to be depressed about him on Vday is the best feeling in the world. After an entire fall semester of missing him, and a winter break of seeing him quite often… I'm just relieved that I don't miss him anymore haha. I'm viewing vday as a celebration of that milestone.

2) My single girlfriends and I are having a movie night complete with Sees candy and Cosmos.

3) All of my friends' relationships with their boos are going pretty well so no drama!

leleesamurmur says:
Fri, 12th Feb 201011:27 am

I'm in a 2 year relationship, and neither of us don't dig the V-Day. We just think it's kind of pointless – we do little things for each other every day, we don't really want to plan out a huge day (especially since it falls right after his birthday, our anniversary, and then my birthday).

Plus, Valentine's Day was originally meant to act as a "universal anniversary for every couple." We already have an anniversary that has meaning to us. Why celebrate a day with no meaning, that's all about buying gifts?

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