Celebrating the Feast of St. Valentine's Day

Saint Valentine’s Day is almost here!
Get ready for the familiar onslaught of Cupids shooting arrows, red roses, and little pastel candy hearts bearing messages like “Be Mine” and “Love You.” It’s that time of year again when parents feel the pressure to make sure their child has Valentines for every kid in class, and when couples rush to secure their dinner reservations weeks in advance.

But for many people, Valentine’s Day doesn’t feel romantic or celebratory at all. It can quietly exclude whole swathes of people, those who are single, widowed, divorced, grieving, or simply without a romantic partner. In a culture that so tightly equates love with romance, February 14 can feel less like a celebration and more like a reminder of what’s missing.

Valentine’s Day has also become a highly commercialized holiday. This year, consumer spending on Valentine’s Day in the United States is expected to reach a record $29.1 billion, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. Shoppers are planning to spend nearly $200 on averageon gifts, experiences, and treats for partners, family, friends, and even pets, higher than ever before.

And yet, this wasn’t how the day began.

The Story of Saint Valentine​

Continued below.

WarriorAngel said:

I ponder the Saint

I decorate with hearts and roses because they are beautiful but I don’t think of it as a major Holiday

Except love is the essence of life

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Hey stranger!