Valentine's Day: Love or Hate?

Note:  I am cheating this week, simply because I'm too tired.  lol.  Anyway, I wrote this post about two years ago and I think it is relevant for today with Valentine's Day coming up.  Please keep in mind that this is a re-post so not all of the events detailed are from my current life.  :)

Some of you may be confused by my title since most of the time when people see or hear the words "Valentine's Day" they often associate it with love, not hate.  I have come to see this slowly progressing to Valentine's Day as something regarded as hate.

Last Friday, one of my classmates was wearing a shirt saying "I'm so over Valentine's Day".  She said that she got the t-shirt at Target for $4 and she believes it's true.  My professor took a quick poll.  About 25% of people admitted to "being over Valentine's Day", the rest admitted to being indifferent to the holiday, and then there's me, who did not raise my hand at all.  I LOVE Valentine's Day!  I love every bit of it.  I am actually excited to work the weekend of Valentine's Day at the hotel because I get to help set up all that romantic stuff and see couples together.  Ryan and I are having a small, quiet Valentine's Day, but I will eat up every minute of it.  I send cards to family for Valentine's Day.  I will probably get my Littles something for Valentine's Day.  I almost bought cheesy Valentine's card that you give out in elementary school to all of my Preview students and co-workers (I still might!).  If I could get everyone a little note for the holiday I would.

Most people assume that I like Valentine's Day because I've been in a relationship for almost 7 years and that we are happy and very much in love.  This is not the case because I have always loved Valentine's Day.  Many people say that those who love/enjoy Valentine's Day are "disillusioned" by the Hallmark created holiday and that there shouldn't be just one day to say "I love you" or celebrate love.  Many people now regard Valentine's Day as "Single Awareness Day (SAD)" because they believe that the holiday is only meant for couples.

These three statements make me very sad.  First couple statements: Jillian, you only love Valentine's Day because you are in a relationship.  Valentine's Day is only for couples and should be renames "Single Awareness Day".  False!  Ever since I was little, my parents, my sister and I would always do something special on Valentine's Day.  Every one got cards for one another.  Chocolates and flowers were always exchanged and there was always a special dinner involved.  I distinctly remember one year that Mom and Dad gave my sister and I each a ruby ring in honor of Valentine's Day.  This day wasn't about love between two people in a relationship (husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, etc.).  This day was a celebration of love between family members for my family.  This Valentine's Day, even though I won't be at home to celebrate, we will exchange cards and maybe even flowers, but it will still be a special day to remember our love for one another as family.  For me, it also extends to my friends.  Many of my friends are considered family to me.  I also have another family of which it is completely acceptable to call each other Brother.  These special bonds, for me, are also remembered especially during this holiday.

Second statement: We shouldn't have just one day to celebrate love or say "I love you".  It should be everyday.  Ok.  True and False.  True, everyday we should take the time to tell someone that you love that you love them.  Makes sense.  However, why is it so bad that we have one day to make that opportunity so obvious?  I mean let's look at it.  All holidays are like this.  Why do we have one day to celebrate the birth of Christ?  What do we have one day to honor the crucifixion? Why do we have only one day where it is appropriate to dress up in costumes?  Why do we only have one day when its okay to wear green head to toe?  Why is it okay that we only celebrate the founding of our country on one day?  Do ya get my point now?  Having a special day doesn't mean that this is the one and only day that we should do anything. The holiday is more like an awareness day, and provides an opportunity to be "socially" appropriate.

So, back to the point of my Valentine's Day post.  On the weekend of the holiday (because most people are not even going to celebrate on the actual holiday since it is on a Sunday), I will be lovey dovey and romantic and extra loving and extra kind because I love that this is one day where I can do so and not be looked upon like I'm crazy.  I will greet every hotel guest with a smile and glimmer in my eye that they have to opportunity to spend a special day at our hotel.  I will hug and kiss my boyfriend and let him know how much I appreciate, love, and respect him.  I will call my parents, my grandmother, and my sister to tell them "Happy Valentine's Day and I love you".  I will let each of my friends that I see during that time how much they mean to me.  I will celebrate Valentine's Day with love not hate.  So, how will you spend your Valentine's Day?