In recent times, Valentine’s Day is predominantly seen as a day to celebrate love and affection toward partners and friends. However, the meaning of Valentine’s Day can vary depending on the
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In recent times, Valentine’s Day is predominantly seen as a day to celebrate love and affection toward partners and friends. However, the meaning of Valentine’s Day can vary depending on the individual you speak to.
Historically, the significance of Valentine’s Day has evolved over time. This holiday is associated with St. Valentine, a Catholic figure known to have been martyred on February 14, around 269 C.E. While the details of St. Valentine’s life and deeds are debated among historians, he is commonly associated with love and romance due to various legends and stories. Today, we mostly see Valentine’s Day as a day to celebrate kindness, love, and affection.
In my experience, Valentine’s Day has been perceived as a combination of genuine love and capitalist propaganda disguised as love, a sentiment shared by many in my generation. To explore this further, I spoke to individuals at Gilpin County High School to hear their thoughts on the holiday and create a modern understanding of the meaning behind Valentine’s Day.
When asked about the meaning of Valentine’s Day, some individuals at the school expressed a rather nihilistic view. For example, when asked what she thought the meaning of the holiday to be, high school senior Lynda Icenogle replied, “Nothing, it’s a (terrible) holiday” (although I will admit, she used much more crass language).
On the other hand, many others had a more positive outlook. Senior Skylar Webb stated, “For me, it’s not so much about lovey-dovey stuff, ‘cause my mom would give me presents. So it’s more like celebrating people you love in general instead of just one person (you love romantically).”
Other responses from individuals who would rather not be named included “Hanging out with the people you care about” and simply “Chocolate” (me too, dude, me too).
Overall, the meaning of Valentine’s Day changes with both the passing of time and the individual you speak to. Whether you celebrate the saint himself, the love in your life (romantic or platonic), or choose not to celebrate at all, I hope you all had a very happy Valentine’s Day!
