Valentine's Day

February 14th is the day marked as Valentine's Day.  If you truly look at the historical roots of Valentine's Day, then you see that it is rooted in Christianity (much like St. Patrick's Day being named after a historical Christian).  Over the centuries, Valentine's Day has been shaped and molded into this day of love and all that is related to it.  People do loving things or give gifts to someone specifically for this day.  I guess this is the one day where it's common practice to nice things for someone.  What about the other 364 days of the year?  Are those just another day where you don't have to do nice things for someone?

Has this idea of Valentine's Day become so ingrained in us that we have to associate it with love, Cupid, and related items only?  Those ideas associated with Valentine's Day can be used throughout the year.  If you do that, then Valentine's Day can be just another day.  Plus the whole idea behind Valentine's Day has become another reason for the business world to make money hand over fist and commercialize it much like other days of the year and holidays.

If Valentine's Day followed the original traditions then I would be all for it.  But it's been turned into something vaguely like the original except, as I said, it has become more commercialized.  Some Middle Eastern countries don't even use the excuse that Valentine's Day promotes western ideologies.  They don't want Valentine's Day celebrated in their countries because they are predominantly Muslim and the historical roots as I said are based in Christianity.  There has been some issues between the two religions throughout history.

Don't go thinking that I'm only saying this because I'm single and bitter.  That is further from the truth.  You can have Valentine's' Day any day of the year.  You don't have to have it on the prescribed day of February 14 necessarily.  If you love someone enough, one day of the year shouldn't force you to do something special for them.