What if Everyone Boycotted Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day is only days away, and the lonely hearts of America are being put to shame thanks to pressures by society and the media to score a Valentine, or at least have something to do on the over-commercialized holiday so you’re not sitting at home alone moping about your non-existent love life (or your complicated one).

According to Singular magazine’s editorial director, Kim Calvert, singles are the fastest growing demographic in the world, yet society still makes us feel bad if we happen to be single on Feb. 14, a day of which its history most of us aren’t even quite sure of since its origins appear to be based on historical legends (which I imagine vary a little from culture to culture).

What’s so romantic about Valentine’s Day anyway? There’s hardly any romance in cliché gifts like roses, candy hearts, stuffed teddy bears and jewelry. And where’s the romance without a little mystery? It’s no mystery that Valentine’s Days comes with a heavy side of expectations. And as I always say, expectations only lead to disappointment. Last time I checked, disappointment is far from romantic.

I hate to burst your happy-go-lucky bubble, but Valentine’s day is really just an advertiser’s holiday meant for mindless conformists who do exactly what the media wants them to do: spend money in the name of love (or lust).

I can’t help but wonder how advertisers would react if one year everyone decided to boycott Valentine’s Day in a shameless effort to de-commercialize a pseudo holiday that encourages pseudo relationships. Relationship expert Jay Cataldo, who strongly believes that Valentine’s Day should die, proposes an alternative to V-day he calls “Love Tactic #9” which will wipe Feb. 14 off your calendar forever while still making you look romantic to your girlfriend. He’s basically suggesting that we bring back the fun, adventure and mystery of romance by celebrating our love on a different day every year by creating our own holiday. It doesn’t even have to be in the month of February necessarily.

Cataldo’s idea isn’t a bad one actually. I totally agree that Valentine’s Day indeed sucks because of the mounting pressure to one-up your friends or even yourself. There’s just too much expectation associated with the day, and it’s hardly romantic at all. It’s quite the contrary actually.

Personally, I think Valentine’s Day is too focused on the romantic aspect of love. Valentine’s Day should be less about love in the romantic sense and more about appreciating and valuing the loved ones in your life including your best friends and your family.

The greatest joy in life is to love and be loved, and we are loved by so many more people in the world than a mere significant other. The concept of Valentine’s Day should be to celebrate EVERYONE we love, so why not celebrate it on our special days?

• Kiss & Tell