This past weekend, a scourge came and went. I hesitate to bring it up, in case you were unaware of its existence, but nonetheless, I feel I should warn you about…
Sweetest Day.
I will freely admit I am not a huge fan of most holidays, and, yes, I’m one of those people who has a particular disdain for Valentine’s Day.
However, I don’t hate Sweetest Day because I dislike Valentine’s Day, nor do I hate it for the same reasons.
Despite how I feel about Valentine’s Day, I understand its purpose. It’s a day for those who have someone special in their lives to be particularly devoted to that person (and annoy the living hell out of us single people, but I digress).
In other words, Valentine’s Day is celebration of a relationship, and, except in the obvious ways, is not much different than Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Bosses’ Day, Teachers’ Day, and so on.
The reason I hate Sweetest Day so much is that it’s the same damn holiday. Think about it: Who is your Sweetest but your Valentine?
If you’re in love with someone, then you’re already letting them know how special he or she is to you (and most likely buying gifts) on his/her birthday, your anniversary and during the holidays in addition to Valentine’s Day, at the very least.
Hence, there is absolutely no need for Sweetest Day except for retailers to bilk more poor lovers into buying even more crap to “show their love.”
You already know I’m not one of those who gripes about consumerism, “affluenza,” or anything along those lines. But I think that Sweetest Day is really scraping the bottom of the barrel. (Furthermore, I’d be really concerned about dating a person who insists Sweetest Day is on par with Valentine’s Day; you run an excellent chance of being broke in the near future.)
So do yourself a favor: If you’re in a relationship and you can get away with it, pretend Sweetest Day doesn’t exist. Don’t fall for the ads and ignore the signs outside the flower shops, candy stores and jewelers.
With any luck, we can stop this sham of a holiday before it starts to catch on.
Valentine’s Day Sucks, Too
February 12th, 2010 | No Comments »I have already shared my hatred for the reject version, Sweetest Day. Now it’s time for me to rip into my least favorite of the Hallmark Holidays, its sibling, Valentine’s Day.
First, the timing of the holiday is horrific: Not even two months after all the money you spent on gifts over Christmas, you’re supposed to shell out even more for Valentine’s Day. Flowers and chocolates are one thing, but jewelry? When I think about the money I might have had to spend on someone who thinks this holiday is actually important, it makes me happy I’m single on Valentine’s Day. … Okay, only kind of.
Perhaps planning a romantic day/evening is easier in Australia, Brazil or even Miami where it is actually warm in February, but where I am, it is not only cold, it is often butt-numbingly cold. When it is 17° outside, some of the last things I want to do are run in and out of stores or go out to restaurants. And yes, I understand part of the day is spent at home in a particular room where the cold could be an incentive, but even that is kind of unfair… you (and your partner) are supposed to be in the mood just because the calendar says you should.
I really enjoy buying things for people I feel close to at random times. I find it more fun to do than when they might expect it. Hence, if I had someone I would want to spoil on a day like Valentine’s Day, I want it to be on my terms and on days that I decide. (Obviously, an anniversary is one I wouldn’t be able to choose, but I’m sure you understand what I mean.)
While I can’t say everyone hates Valentine’s Day, I can safely say many people do. As much as the lovelorn (females, most likely) enjoy being slathered with gifts and attention of various kinds, it is a day of depression and/or vitriol for the perpetually single (like me), those who were all-too-recently dumped, and many (men, in this case) who are in a relationship, but feel like they’ll end up “in the doghouse”, as a famous department store chain likes to say, if they don’t participate in or forget about the idiocy. And in comparison to the much lesser-known October copy, Valentine’s Day is advertised seemingly everywhere starting somewhere around King’s Birthday, causing all the whipped guys to become increasingly nervous as the date approaches as well as giving all the singles a whole month to stew in their sadness and anger about their annoyingly lovey-dovey peers.
Hell, there are elementary school kids who are growing to hate Valentine’s Day because they know they are only getting Valentines because they have a few classmates who just give cards to everyone… or because their teachers require the students who give out cards to hand them out to the entire class.
Yet I realize that if I found the right person, I almost certainly be perfectly happy flipping through ads, searching websites and braving the elements for that perfect gift and experience if that’s what is expected of me. And that to me, my friends, may be the most annoying thing about Valentine’s Day by far.