The School Newspaper of Vista Ridge High School

The Word

The School Newspaper of Vista Ridge High School

The Word

The School Newspaper of Vista Ridge High School

The Word

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Be my valentine

Every year in February – too surprising and unexpectedly for the boys, hardly to await for the girls –it comes. This special day to honor your loved ones. Another occasion next to birthdays, Christmas and anniversaries to spend money on fancy gifts.

While some people hate it and try to find any excuse to ignore it others get starry eyed. Of course we are talking about February 14, Valentine’s day.

But what is there behind this day of love and appreciation, where does it come from? Is it all seriously just being blowed up by the flower industry?

Originally it is a religious holiday, named after the Christian matyr ‘Valentin’ and established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD. Today it’s not an official religious celebration anymore since Pope Paul VI deleted it from the Roman calendar in 1969.

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That doesn’t prevent people from writing neat postcards or buying heartshaped candy… and red roses, right?
But why red roses? This tradition has its origin in a poem, published in 1785 by Gammer Gurton’s Garland:

The rose is red, the violet’s blue

The honey’s sweet, and so are you

Thou are my love and I am thine

I drew thee to my Valentine

The lot was cast and then I drew

And Fortune said it shou’d be you.

Still, even enough people in a relationship hate this day so that it makes you wonder about what it’s all about.

In my opinion, the ‘haters’ do have their point. Celebrating Valentine’s Day by just spending money on some roses and a Walmart greeting card, buying pseudo love, just because the partner expects us to. That is definitely not how it’s supposed to be.

But if you see it what it’s meant like – a day of love, not presents – then it can be a great opportunity to show affection. Don’t think of what you could buy your love – think of what makes you love him/her. Instead of buying a sparkling, prefab heart’s shaped greeting card with a run-of-the-mill poem printed on it, write down what characteristics of him/her you love. Show personality and thought instead of money and a unlimited credit card. Valentine’s Day is not about showing off which restaurant you can afford to take your lady to, it’s about feelings and true emotion.

If you still aren’t convinced – or you are single and that’s your reason to hate this day – there’s still the SAD you could celebrate, the official Singles Awareness Day.

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