The minute Christmas ends and the new year begins, the Valentine’s Day boxes, candy, stuffies, and decorations are everywhere. It becomes really hard to miss the couples and love all around me. And every year, like clockwork, people appear to criticize the season for its hyperfixation on coupling, romantic love, and relationships. Ever since I was young, I tried so hard to agree and to raise the voices of those that offered their cynicality.
However, I love love.
I love romance and dinners and movies and candy and flowers and just love in general. Now, I’m currently in year two of my first (and probably last) relationship with a partner who I adore and want to share the holiday with. Of course, with my luck, my partner hates romance, affection, and, most of all, holidays. The atmosphere, depending on the holiday and the crowd, can either be really depressing and sad or lovey-dovey and happy. The latter brings me so much joy, but the former hurts some of the people I love. Which matters more: My friend’s feelings or mine? I definitely shouldn’t have to pick, but I feel that I need to.
I desperately want to fight the commercialization of Valentine’s Day and the need for romantic relationships to be happy. And, honestly, I do agree with the critiques on the commercial nature of the holiday and society’s innate need for everyone to be in relationships and married, otherwise they aren’t worthy or whatever. I just really like the idea of having an “excuse” to go out, get all dressed up and fancy, and give and receive sweets and flowers with my partner.
In all honesty, I don’t think I truly like Valentine’s Day or even the “idea” of it. I think that I just like to have a reason to be a little more affectionate. Is there some work I have to do to deal with that? Yeah, probably. I should allow myself to do so at any time of the year, but for now, I’ll use this Valentine’s Day as my excuse.