Valentine’s Day is known as a day for couples to express their love for their partner, but is there more to Valentine’s Day than honoring your lover?
The origin of Valentine’s Day isn’t pinpointed, but many historians trace it to Ancient Rome when the festival of Lupercalia was celebrated. Lupercalia was a festival of fertility, filled with the bloodshed of both humans and animals, to ward off evil spirits.
While this holiday had violent beginnings, sweet results awaited over time as works of great writers and poets like Shakespeare and Chaucer influenced how it was perceived, evolving from a gory three days to a festive one. Famous works like Hamlet greatly influenced how the public viewed Valentine’s Day, allowing its reputation as a pagan holiday to fade.
Today, Valentine’s Day is generally seen as a day for lovers, but for some people, Valentine’s Day is a time to show gratitude, be it to yourself, friends, family, or even strangers.
“Valentine’s Day is an important holiday not only for significant others but for your close friends,” freshman Pooravi Srivastava said.
It’s a time to take in everyone you have by your side and cherish what is around you, disproving the stereotype that Valentine’s Day is for couples.
However, other people believe the holiday to be more suited for people in romantic relationships.
“For those who are romantic and have a significant other it could be an important holiday” sophomore Mason Deci said.
This is the most common take on Valentine’s Day, and also the one most portrayed by the media. While Valentine’s Day can be platonic, it’s hard to deny this holiday also has a sense of romantic intimacy.
Not everyone has grand thoughts about Valentine’s Day though, for a few other people, it’s just a time to be with people you love. A way to spread kindness and generosity.
“I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day,” math teacher Amy Farrell said, “but I believe it’s just a time for you to be with people you love.”
The meaning of Valentine’s Day may not be shared by everyone, but many people can agree it’s a time for the people you love to cherish those around them, romantically or not. The fact that Valentine’s Day is a day for lovers has been pushed onto viewers as a time for love birds to express intimacy, but for most people, it’s just a time to enjoy the company of people you feel comfortable around.
Valentine’s Day can be a celebration of love in all of its forms and meanings.
