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Valentine's Day
Feb. 11th, 2009 04:19 pmIt seems "cool" to be vehemently against Valentine's Day, to mock it, and the people who celebrate it. This came up on a friends journal, and ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
yuki_onna said the following about celebrating, which really hit home for me.
"Ritual exists to pass the time until death and there is nothing wrong with ritual colors and actions and holidays--I love them. I celebrate as many as I can. We need MORE days of joy and celebration that we experience as a culture, not less. Random presents are great, but holidays give us something to look forward to, to plan around, to bedeck ourselves in Lupercalia and Parelement of Foules and celebrate our medieval Catholic weird-ass roots. I feel like th tradition of Grinch-ness surrounding Valentine's Day is sad and misguided and it makes me wonder why so many people are determined to both /take a holiday full of joy away from others/ and make themselves look superior by claiming to make every day special.
If every day is special, none of them are. Ritual exists to make us more human, and I'll never give up on it. Yes, pop culture makes that ritual lame, but that doesn't mean the red colors aren't blood and passion in the midst of snow, it doesn't mean that Valentine's Day isn't a prayer for fertility in the midst of barrenness, and that the whole day isn't fire in the cold, a hint of the new world to come. "
My husband is very good at showing me that I'm loved, yet we do go out of our way to celebrate every little 'holiday.' Anniversaries are celebrated, birthdays, and yes, Valentine's Day. We don't go crazy commercial and buy huge gifts, if he gave me jewelry I would be stunned. It's not the commercial aspect that we're celebrating. We're celebrating the love we share. I'm sorry that not every one is in a relationship, and I do try to be considerate of that. However, because other people aren't in a relationship, is that asny reason I shouldn't celebrate mine? Should I not say anything, not praise the man I married, because other people don't have someone to talk about?
As far as how we DO celebrate, what we try to do is simply step up our attempts to let the other know how loved they are. We buy sappy cards to exchange, and generally go out to dinner to celebrate. Husband may give me a rose, but certainly not a dozen. (while romantic, the thrifty part of my personality freaks over the cost) Why is that something to be reviled and made fun of? It's not as though Valentine's day is the *only* day we're romantic, it's just a chance to put a touch more effort in to it.
The day can be celebrated in whatever way works. If a couple doesn't like chocolate and fancy schmancy dinners out- and instead would like to celebrate at a con- good for them! If friends want to get together and celebrate their friendship- isn't that good too?
Lastly, I just want to thankyuki_onna for writing out so clearly, what was nebulously floating around in my head. :) And for saying I could quote her here.
yuki_onna said the following about celebrating, which really hit home for me."Ritual exists to pass the time until death and there is nothing wrong with ritual colors and actions and holidays--I love them. I celebrate as many as I can. We need MORE days of joy and celebration that we experience as a culture, not less. Random presents are great, but holidays give us something to look forward to, to plan around, to bedeck ourselves in Lupercalia and Parelement of Foules and celebrate our medieval Catholic weird-ass roots. I feel like th tradition of Grinch-ness surrounding Valentine's Day is sad and misguided and it makes me wonder why so many people are determined to both /take a holiday full of joy away from others/ and make themselves look superior by claiming to make every day special.
If every day is special, none of them are. Ritual exists to make us more human, and I'll never give up on it. Yes, pop culture makes that ritual lame, but that doesn't mean the red colors aren't blood and passion in the midst of snow, it doesn't mean that Valentine's Day isn't a prayer for fertility in the midst of barrenness, and that the whole day isn't fire in the cold, a hint of the new world to come. "
My husband is very good at showing me that I'm loved, yet we do go out of our way to celebrate every little 'holiday.' Anniversaries are celebrated, birthdays, and yes, Valentine's Day. We don't go crazy commercial and buy huge gifts, if he gave me jewelry I would be stunned. It's not the commercial aspect that we're celebrating. We're celebrating the love we share. I'm sorry that not every one is in a relationship, and I do try to be considerate of that. However, because other people aren't in a relationship, is that asny reason I shouldn't celebrate mine? Should I not say anything, not praise the man I married, because other people don't have someone to talk about?
As far as how we DO celebrate, what we try to do is simply step up our attempts to let the other know how loved they are. We buy sappy cards to exchange, and generally go out to dinner to celebrate. Husband may give me a rose, but certainly not a dozen. (while romantic, the thrifty part of my personality freaks over the cost) Why is that something to be reviled and made fun of? It's not as though Valentine's day is the *only* day we're romantic, it's just a chance to put a touch more effort in to it.
The day can be celebrated in whatever way works. If a couple doesn't like chocolate and fancy schmancy dinners out- and instead would like to celebrate at a con- good for them! If friends want to get together and celebrate their friendship- isn't that good too?
Lastly, I just want to thank
yuki_onna for writing out so clearly, what was nebulously floating around in my head. :) And for saying I could quote her here.
