Valentine’s Day, a holiday celebrating love, has altered our society tremendously. The holiday is celebrated by millions with the most common gifts being chocolates and flowers. While many believe in the day’s significance, some members of the Barstow community disagree. With an equal number of supporters and critics, the holiday has generated controversy.
Maira Parsons ‘27 says, “If you need an actual holiday to love your significant other, that’s an issue in your relationship.”
Valentine’s Day, a holiday celebrated since the 14th century, began as a way to commemorate St. Valentine. Historians believe that origins tie back to the combination of two men who were both executed on February 14. The Catholic Church then established the day to commemorate these martyrs.
There are two possible explanations for why the holiday celebrates love. It could be true that one of these men, Saint Valentine of Terni secretly officiated Roman soldiers’ weddings. This could make him an advocate of love. Another plausible explanation is that St. Valentine wrote a “valentine” greeting to a young girl he fell in love with. While they may be accurate, both of those explanations are simply legends.
A number of Barstow students prioritize this festivity, but others treat it as any other ordinary day. Madison Brox ‘28 says she does “nothing” to celebrate the day. The majority of students say they will be spending the day with their families. Aiden Flick ‘27 says he’s planning to “go to bingo” with his grandma and “destroy other grandmas.” Similarly, Ayyaan Ahsan ‘28 says he will be “giving my sisters a rose and a chocolate.”
On the other hand, Elle Losse ‘28 says she’s planning to spend Valentine’s Day with “my bed.” Along with that, Leo Karaichev ‘27 says he will be “cranking 90s” to celebrate the day. For the uninitiated, Karachiev ‘27 will be playing Fortnite.
Several Valentine’s Day supporters say that it is a fun holiday. “It’s pretty lit if you’re not lonely,” says Emilia Prier ‘27. Shria Malay ‘27 says, “Valentine’s Day is a holiday filled with positivity, sugar, and love.”
Critics like Leo Karaichev ‘27 claim, “It doesn’t deserve to be a holiday because Valentine was a narcissist and he doesn’t need a whole holiday dedicated to his feelings.”
While the holiday elicits bleak responses from some, others feel less strongly. Maira Parsons ‘27 remarks, “It’s not that big of a deal and I feel like it’s mostly for the commercial thing.” Others like Adi Rastogi ‘27 say that Valentine’s Day “reminds me that I’m lonely.”
A large number of students echo their distaste for the day, but Valentine’s Day also houses jovial memories. Emilia Prier ‘27 presumes that her favorite Valentine’s memory occurred when she “went to dinner and spilled fondue all over myself.”
In an effort to recognize the day, StuCo set up three tables of Krispy Kreme donuts for every grade. Rania Ahsan ‘27, a StuCo representative for Mr. Gaffney’s advisory disclosed that StuCo would be “decorating the middle school commons.”
You don’t need a holiday to celebrate the love you share for your family, friends, and other significant people. Although Valentine‘s Day allows you to concentrate on celebrating love, take time out of your day to appreciate your loved ones every day.
