The Truth about Valentine's Day...and other holidays

     For some, it's Valentine's Day. For others, including your fearless leader (me), it's Single Awareness Day. As much as I don't want to have a bash session on everyone who is happily in a relationship on this day, it seems so easy to do so. I'm going to try not to though, I promise.

     But what is Valentine's Day? A day to say, "I love you?" A day to buy a dozen red roses? A day for a girl to consume ridiculous amounts of calories and not care? I'm not sure. All I know is that this isn't the way the day was meant to be spent...society has ruined this holiday for me.
     Valentine's Day was originally a day of religious observance for Saint Valentine who was martyred for doing something religious. (I couldn't find a reason for why he was martyred) The day of observance was taken off the Catholic calendar back in 1969. Pope Paul VI said that there wasn't enough information on Saint Valentine's life and works so they got rid of his special day. Just in time for society to pick it up and promote it as another day to buy lots and lots of material items.
     Now, I'm a girl and every girl loves getting flowers and being told someone loves her, but shouldn't there be more to this holiday than just that? Shouldn't Valentine's Day be a day where we tell people we love that we love them whether we're in a relationship with them or not? Should it really just be reserved for people in relationships?
     Personally, I think we've the lost the big picture. This holiday has become an invite-only holiday. If you don't have a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a wife, or a husband, you're not allowed to be happy on this day. I know I'm not. If I could sleep through this whole day, I would. I'm happy for those who have found someone to love, but what about those out there who haven't? Am I any less important or less special because I don't have someone to share today with?
     I really wasn't trying to rant, I promise. But it just seems like every holiday has become yet another reason for people to spend money on unimportant things that we'll either eat or throw in a back closet and forget about it. For example...
     Valentine's Day - Most people give chocolates and flowers. Hate to tell you, but flowers die. As much as you might try, they will die. And chocolate? Who in the world would "save" their chocolate to remember this special day? You'll get another box in a year! Enjoy it before someone else steals it from you! I think this day should be about appreciating the people in your life who love you and whom you love back. It doesn't necessarily have to be your significant other, but just someone special in your life.
     Christmas - You could get me going on this one for days! Happy Birthday Baby Jesus! Isn't that what Christmas is all about? Oh yeah, I forgot...it's X-mas now. I understand that some people aren't religious and don't celebrate Christmas for the birth of Christ, but is it necessary to make it all about what you get instead of what you give? I think people need to reevaluate the true meaning of Christmas. They might not have to celebrate it for the reasons I do, but maybe if they just put a little more heart and thought into what they do and what they give people, they'd change their reasons.
     Easter - Sure, the Easter Bunny is cute and everyone loves a reason to be a child and look for eggs in the backyard but isn't Easter something bigger? The whole Jesus dying and resurrecting himself three days later? I think that's reason to celebrate enough. How many people do you know who can do that? I don't know anyone. Again, I think people have lost the real meaning of Easter and I realize some don't practice Catholicism, but that doesn't mean they have to buy candy and toys for their kids like it's Christmas all over again.
     Every holiday I can think that's been twisted into a shopping spree holiday has first been a religious one. Could that mean something? Has society become so secular that we're scared to celebrate holidays for their real intent? I'm not saying that if you're not a religious person you aren't allowed to celebrate these holidays, but even religious people have lost the true meaning in my opinion. Why is that? Has the commercial world taken over for good? Will all holidays be about buying presents and fulfilling our wants instead of just doing something thoughful for someone we care about? What about just saying, "I love you" on Valentine's Day or saying, "Thank you" on Thanksgiving. Is it that hard? Can't we do that without buying something?
     I don't know. I think we need to take a good look at everything and really think about what we're celebrating. Sure, I'm upset on Valentine's Day because I don't get chocolates or roses from a guy, but I don't hear I love you from my friends either. Is that because they don't really love me or because they think they can't say it to me on this special day because we're not in a relationship? This isn't an invite-only holiday. We all need to know we're loved...and hearing it from our parents just won't cut it anymore.
     So for all of you out there...single, in a relationship, or it's complicated...I love you. Happy Valentine's Day.