I have a feeling that when Saint Valentine signed his name, “your Valentine ” that one time in prison (yes, prison) before he was martyred (yes, martyred), he did not know it would result in many people calling themselves “Valentine” as an homage to that moment. If he did that would be weird. 

Centuries ago, a man became a saint of love and romance, simply because he decided to officiate a few weddings of some soldiers. Lovelorn Christian soldiers were forbidden to marry in Rome during this time, and Saint Valentine was very glad to officiate for them, making him a true saint of love.  Now a significant amount of time later, this narrated  historical tale has become a commercialized event, in which every store becomes a lovey-dovey Hobby Lobby a few weeks before February.

Although that is not a shock, considering America seems to rotate around Holidays of all kinds. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Pickle Time Week.  At this point Calendars only exist to mark down the days to the next holiday, and what week we can get together and eat pickles. But Valentine’s day seems to stick out the most. The best way to describe it was if The Bachelor was a loved and celebrated holiday…oh wait. The point still stands, it’s silly and surface level. It seems to most that it is simply a way to prove their love with gifts and materialistic items. 

This is a result of America’s consumer obsession with profiting over every detail about the human experience that it insists on perverting a feeling close to people’s hearts. Profiting off of love the way our society does, feels different than when the world is dressed in tinsel and fake snow for Christmas, or pumpkins and cornucopias for Thanksgiving. 

Maybe back in Saint Valentine’s day, it might have been different. But now, there are expectations to be met, one day where you give your loved ones mediocre candy and 5 dollar teddy bears, feels more disingenuous than touching. Shouldn’t you treat people with the same love and appreciation you give them on Valentine’s, everyday? And shouldn’t you mean it? 

As years have passed and Valentines day has gotten more and more insincere and people become more and more disconnected with each other, the holiday becomes obsolete. (Almost like the Bachelor has after over 20 seasons). Why not spend time with your loved ones during Pickle Time week? Why not Binge watch terrible reality TV shows with your friends? 

Valentine’s day is the worst holiday, because everyday should be like it. Show your love for your friends, your partner, and family everyday instead of one day in february. Otherwise eventually our calendars will be full of holidays reminding us to show basic human decency.

Basic Human decency day is sad, Let’s eat pickles instead.