Valentine’s Day has not always been about love, chocolates, and flowers. It was first celebrated with a saint named St. Valentine. The legend states that St. Valentine was a Roman priest who performed secret weddings against the wishes of the higher-ranked authorities in the third century. He was caught with his actions and was imprisoned, but what helped his fate that didn’t involve death was healing his capture’s daughter’s blind eyes. Since February 14, 496 A.D., St. Valentine’s actions have been celebrated with romantic dinners and flashy jewelry. His actions of helping those in love and weddings have been celebrated now through the loved ones of wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, and soulmates. The question being asked is is Valentine’s Day overrated? 

Feelings on Valentine’s Day have either been a celebration of love or the feelings of just eating the chocolate and boycotting the whole day. This lovey-dovey holiday doesn’t have to always be about the soulmate or boyfriend and girlfriend; the day can celebrate love in general. Celebrating the love for your friends you have had since preschool, the sibling you used to fight with but now are friends with, or your mom and dad who got you Dove chocolate and Reese’s because that is your favorite kind of chocolate. 

The day is mainly known to recognize that one special person in your life that has changed your world forever, but why is that the only meaning we see behind this day. It should be used to see all the love in your life and appreciate the loved ones who might not be a boyfriend or girlfriend. Yes, it can be celebrated through that one special person, but it should also be a day to recognize the friends and family that have been around us forever. 

The days that you brought in valentines for the, your classmates should be how we celebrate every valentines day when your mom would take you to the store, and you would get fun dips and the suckers that you would push through the paper that would describe who it is from and who gets the treat. 

On those days, every kid got candy, and everyone celebrated the day together. The love just through classmates was something that every kid looks forward to, the candies and telling your friends is what made the day special.  This is the feeling that we should try to recapture, as opposed to only focusing on romantic relationships.

This article appeared in the February edition of The East Vision.