Few Days Off

Well, here we are. Another year has come and gone. The winter in the US has dumped snow on just about everyone living here. And as I sit in my chair, sipping a nice hot cup of my special blend of coffee, I’m thinking about February.  Smack dab in the middle of it, is “Valentine’s Day.”  And I am thinking about the many problems this “special” day imposes on us.

I’ve heard, as many of you have, that Valentine’s Day was a day invented by the Hallmark greeting card company, but that isn’t true.  Valentine’s Day or as it is formally known, Saint Valentine’s Day, was actually a religious holiday and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD. It was named after a Christian martyr named Valentine.  It was deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, but its religious observance is still permitted.  Aside from the all the religious hoopla and history, most people  all over still engage in it’s celebration or de-celebration every February the 14th.

The reason I say it’s a problem is that its purpose is celebrating love and affection between intimate companions.  But many people don’t have an intimate companion.  And for those without an intimate companion, the day becomes stressful. Another way Valentine’s Day is a problem is the fact that for many of those that do have an intimate companion, they have to try to figure out what to do about a gift or experience to bestow on their significant other. Then there are the ones that have someone they are interested in, but the relationship hasn’t yet grown.  This poses more gifting problems as one doesn’t want to over do it, as to scare their love interest away, but want to do or give something significant enough to show their love (or like) interest that they are not a total dweeb and can use their imagination enough to stand out away from the last person that just gave a silly box of heart-candy and a sillier card. Some people could use some romantic ideas for a memorable Valentine’s Day. Yes, Valentine’s Day does present problems.

And what about those whom Cupid will pass this year? Many, who don’t have a significant other, will try to down play or ignore Valentine’s Day completely.  Or as completely as others will allow.  Nothing like sitting in your chair at work or standing at the water cooler and having a workmate plop the BIG question on you “Well… What are you getting for your significant other for Valentine’s Day?”  Yeah, so you can hardly wipe Valentine’s Day completely off the map unless you live in a cave. This is a truly hard problem to overcome. I had one girl tell me that she was just going to sleep all the way through Valentine’s Day. A guy I know said he was just not going to think about it. I truly believe that neither will do as they said and that both of them think about the day, its meaning, and the fact that they aren’t going to be able to participate. This causes stress. In some cases major depression occurs. People have even committed suicide over this Valentine’s Day depression, so it really is a problem.

Valentine’s Day does indeed present problems. Some of these problems are silly and some are very serious. It is even a worldwide problem. Currently in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan they are trying follow the lead of Iran in banning the holiday altogether as the day is considered a Christian holiday. But you can understand that by banning Valentine’s Day, what they have created for themselves is yet another set of problems.  Seems the banning of Valentine’s Day has created a huge black market of Valentine’s Day gift items including little cute, cuddly teddy bears.

So if you are thinking that I have some great revelation on how to solve the Valentine’s Day dilemma, then I’m sorry to disappoint you. I am merely observing the problem and between munching on my, home made, fresh out of the oven, chocolate chip cookies, typing the results of my observations on my keyboard and trying not to get gooey chocolate all over my keys. I wish you a resourceful and happy Saint Valentine’s Day. And hope it isn’t a too problematic day for you.  I’d say plan ahead and your problems will be less intense.

Originally published here.

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