Love or Lies?

Valentine’s Day Should Not Be Regarded for Its Commercialization

Photo by Luiz Paulo R Santos on Unsplash

During the month of February, you can find just about every store covered in pink heart-shaped decorations, gearing up for the 14th when Valentine’s Day is celebrated internationally. In 2024, Valentine’s Day hit a record $14.2 billion in spending. Despite being highly commercialized, Valentine’s Day should be regarded mainly as a celebration of loving relationships and friendships. So, is Valentine’s Day a scam—or is it just a question of how society views the holiday? Instead of dwelling on and debating the commercial aspect, it is better to appreciate the tradition and history behind Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is a historic holiday that serves a purpose through its traditions and sentiments. Though it has evolved over time, it is good to appreciate where the holiday came from and not focus on the commercial aspects. These traditions have existed since Feb. 14, 270 AD, marking the death of St. Valentine, the namesake of the holiday. While there remains some mystery behind the origins, the holiday is celebrated in commemoration of St. Valentine, who martyred himself for the sake of love and the sanctity of marriage.

With all the history and long-celebrated traditions, such as sending nice cards and letters, gifting chocolate and flowers and spending time with loved ones, Valentine’s Day has so much more to offer when you look past the marketing ploys that surround it. All the history shows us that the commercial aspects and money grabs aren’t everything, as this holiday has been celebrated much longer than the “scams” that we know today have been around.

Though stores become decked out in pink and heart-shaped everything during February, the attempts of marketing don’t take away from the celebration of love. The priorities of this holiday should lie in how it’s spent, not what you spend. Additionally, just because brands and stores take advantage of the associated colors and symbols of Valentine’s Day, those things aren’t always scams, but rather opportunities to get something special for your loved ones.

While it is true that Valentine’s Day has been increasingly commercialized over the years, that doesn’t mean it’s a scam, as the money spent on Valentine’s-themed items is in celebration of the holiday. These items are exchanged as gifts, sentiments and a show of love for friends and partners.

People should view Valentine’s Day in a good light and not as a commercial scam. It makes the holiday much more positive and fun when you look past all the marketing. Take part in the traditions and celebrate the true meaning of this holiday each Feb. 14, by spending time with loved ones, friends, significant others, family and more.