| Why
I hate Valentine's Day: Stupid, mushy gifts and
knots of anxiety
By Michelle Butler
February 13, 2009 | Every year it
rolls around. For weeks on end, stores are stockpiling
large heart-shaped balloons, boxes of candy and anything
else that's red and mushy. Little naked babies with
wings and little arrows fill window displays, and ugly
little stuffed hearts with arms and legs line the shelves.
Welcome to the nightmare of Valentine's
Day.
I hate V-day. No matter what, it's
always been stupid and full of frustration. I've always
had good friends and plenty of awesome family and never
feel unloved or unwanted. But on this day, despite my
best attempts, I transform into some love-seeking monster
screaming for chocolates and roses. And I don't even
like chocolate.
In my high school, each Valentine's
Day would transform the front office into a floral shop.
Every hour, the staff would call names over the intercom,
and the lucky few would venture down the hallways to
collect their tokens of love, while the rest of us would
anxiously wait to hear our names. To me, this became
a long, drawn-out day. It was like pulling an adhesive
bandage off your arm, but making it last 12 hours.
I hated walking down the halls, seeing
all the girls with armful of flowers and candy. Often,
I contemplated sending myself flowers, just so I too
could join that elite club. I never had a serious boyfriend
in high school and it never bothered me until V-day.
On this day, I would wish for five boyfriends, just
so someone would send me a stupid rose.
Why is it that we act perfectly normal
all the other days of the year, but on V-day, our minds
go crazy? On no other day would a sound man buy a 3-foot
bear and give it to his sweet heart. On no other day
would a sound woman accept such a stupid gift! The gifts
that we give and hope to receive are stupid and meaningless.
Corporate America has convinced us that giant stuffed
animals and stupid candy hearts are tokens of our affection.
The stupid thing is that I hate those little candy hearts,
yet on V-day, I'm begging to receive them!
At least the day became more bearable
in college. There was no intercom to announce who was
loved and who wasn't. Yet, hear again I found myself
yearning to receive even the smallest card or rose.
I feel so sorry for the scores of guys who are buying
anything at Walmart that even slightly resembles a valentine.
I could take a Twinkie and stick a heart sticker on
it and I know some desperate guy out there would pay
a ridiculous amount of money for it. Men grow desperate,
knowing that the expectations for them are high, and
it's not even us women who expect it. It's this stupid
day and everything that goes with it.
I would much rather receive attention
and little cards throughout the year, than be bombarded
with a ton of crappy Valentine candy and stupid little
heart pillows on one stated "Love Day."
Now that I'm married, you'd think
that I'd like V-day even more, since I would have a
definite Valentine. I still think it's a stupid holiday
and thank heavens my husband agrees. He's the kind of
guy who leaves me flowers and notes year round and on
Valentine's Day; I don't get any of the stupid cards
or waxy candy. Last year, he gave me a pair of shoes
and a Nintendo game. Now there's true love for you!
We've decided to tear away from the traditional, nightmarish
routine that leaves so many frustrated and angry. Instead,
we make our own dinner and usually do nothing that's
even remotely related to a heart with some arrow through
it.
MS
KS |
