Do You Celebrate Valentine's Day?

[Megaroni]

Added "it's complicated" and "in small ways" cause I can imaging a lot of people having experiences that don't line up with yes or no I know a lot of people see Valentine's day as either a very happy or a very sad holiday (a lot like how people see Christmas) but I wanna know how many people see it as happy vs sad.

I also know that recently there's been this whole narrative of "I'm too sad and lonely to like Valentine's Day" that a lot of people have adopted and I wanna know if that's still as common as it was like 7 years ago.

I personally really like Valentine's Day and always have. I really liked the little parties you'd throw in class in the U.S. as a kid and it gave me an excuse to decorate random pieces of paper. I like it now cause I have really good people in my life that I wanna celebrate and share my love for. Also the week after Valentine's Day is aromatic awareness week and that's also a really nice time of year for me. A lot of aro related blogs and content comes back and you can find prompts on your views of love and being aro which is fun. Doesn't have much to do with Valentine's Day but I still think it's fun that it comes right after.

 

[Croconaw]

It’s complicated for me, as well. I’m not too fond of this day. I’d rather receive a gift from my significant other as a surprise or a nice gesture, not because they feel inclined to on a certain day in the month we’re supposed to celebrate. It’s not special in my eyes if you’re expecting it, and it’s an excuse for stores to get happy with the price gun on chocolate and stuffed bears, just because they are in a heart shaped box or they are holding a red heart respectively.

If I am in a relationship, I’d rather not draw attention to this day. It’s unneeded pressure, really. I’m not making a fuss of people who do celebrate it, but I really don’t see a point to it. It’s a marketing scheme to get people to spend money. I worked at a small store inside an Airport in February last year, and we were selling stuffed bears for $20. I understand it’s an Airport so prices are higher, but that’s way too much — especially since I don’t know why anyone would go Valentine’s Day shopping at an Airport.

 

[Megaroni]

It’s complicated for me, as well. I’m not too fond of this day. I’d rather receive a gift from my significant other as a surprise or a nice gesture, not because they feel inclined to on a certain day in the month we’re supposed to celebrate. It’s not special in my eyes if you’re expecting it, and it’s an excuse for stores to get happy with the price gun on chocolate and stuffed bears, just because they are in a heart shaped box or they are holding a red heart respectively.

If I am in a relationship, I’d rather not draw attention to this day. It’s unneeded pressure, really. I’m not making a fuss of people who do celebrate it, but I really don’t see a point to it. It’s a marketing scheme to get people to spend money. I worked at small store inside an Airport in February last year, and we were selling stuffed bears for $20. I understand it’s an Airport so prices are higher, but that’s way too much — especially since I don’t know why anyone would go Valentine’s Day shopping at an Airport.

That makes sense. I hate how commercialized it's become. I refuse to buy any Valentine's Day themed things during February even if I am getting gifts for people

 

[.: Meri :.]

I like Valentine's, and though I don't have a significant other, I'll celebrate it in small ways. c: Typically, I'll just dedicate a larger-than-usual part of my day to something to do with my fictional crushes, and I'll sometimes still get some small gifts from family too. Last year my grandmother sent me a basket of thumbprint jam cookies and they were SO GOOD.

 

[nightglow]

No. Not really a fan of the celebration either.

Spoiler: May be upsetting to those who really like valentine's day

Growing up I remember kids getting their feelings hurt because they didn't get a valentine card from whoever. Or thier parents didn't give them something while some of the other kids got something because of valentine's day being about loving others. To me, that is just sad. And teasing when just trying to include others. The candy message hearts are gross. And as an adult, it seems like manipulation and a corporation cash cow. I just find it generally unhealthy.

 

[xSuperMario64x]

considering I've never been in a relationship w anyone at any point in my life, I would say no. besides being in elementary school and handing out the obligatory valentine lol.

 

[Croconaw]

-snip-

I remember the Valentine’s Day cards in elementary school. I really disliked this concept. Kids used to write hurtful messages on them and it would be anonymous. Even my school had this thing where you could send candy to another student on Valentine’s Day, and it made children who did not received any feel bad. I really don’t like how schools do things in general, though.

 

[~Kilza~]

I don't. Valentine's Day is just a Hallmark holiday to me, I have no reason to celebrate it.

 

[daringred_]

when i was single, i didn't get the appeal, but i didn't hate it, either. now that i have a girlfriend, i do enjoy it to a degree. we're long distance, so there's no guarantee we'll be together for the occasion, but we try to line it up or at least get close. we don't go to dinner or anything, and it's just a normal day for the most part, but we do get each other gifts and a card. last year, i got my girlfriend two funko pop she liked, including a pride hello kitty, and she sent me this cute white rabbit plush holding a sweetheart that says "i love you", and it sits on the end of my bed in the middle of all my other plushies. i don't think 'expecting' gifts, especially from someone you love, takes away from them at all. usually, we don't go with the more valentine's day themed stuff, so higher prices aren't an issue, and neither of us are particularly bothered about flowers since they're pretty expensive for something that dies within a week, so it's not exactly a dent in our wallets either. the only thing i hate about the holiday is how heteronormative it is. trying to find a good same-sex themed valentine's day card is a nightmare, especially one for wlw. there's like one small section with 10 cards, most of them pretty crappy or simplistic, and then three whole rows of gendered animals for straight couples. makes me angry every year without fail lmao.

also, the whole "class exchanging cards" thing is non-existent here. i've never heard of a primary school that's done it, although i'm sure there are some, and i think it's weird that america (and canada) make little kids gift each other valentine's day cards when they cry about how same-sex couples are inappropriate for that age group lmao. in secondary school, you'll just give a card and/or gift to your s/o if you have one but, like, it's a private thing between you and them and might not even necessarily happen during school.

 

[Bui]

I don't really have a reason to celebrate Valentine's Day considering the fact that I'm aromantic. However, all of the discounted Valentine's Day themed candies that are available in stores the next day are nice!

 

[Envy]

Not really. I've rarely had a partner to celebrate it with.

 

[LadyDestani]

I acknowledge it and celebrate it in small ways, but I'm not going to try to force my way into an overcrowded restaurant on that day or spend a bunch of money on flowers or Valentine's specific gifts.

My husband and I usually make sure that we set some time aside to spend together that day and sometimes we might pick up a little gift or two for each other, but never anything really major. The gifts are usually regular things that we would like any other day as well.

Once in a while, I've received candy or a card from my parents or other relatives, but it's not consistent and I don't expect it.

Growing up in the US, we did do the obligatory Valentine's Day card exchange in class, but we were required to bring a card for every other student so no one got hurt. I never really saw the point.

 

[Midoriya]

No, lol. Never cared for it as a kid and don’t care about it now. If you’re going to do something nice for someone, do it any day of the year, not just on one day because it’s “special”.

 

[Livia]

I used to get sad around Valentine’s Day because my school would do the valentine flower grams or candy grams and I never got one. Now I don’t care about it and it’s just another day to me.

 

[DaisyFan]

I am not fond of Valentine's Day, but there are only few exceptions. I would watch the movie Valentine's Day and I couldn't help, but I like cute decorations and plushies.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

Sometimes, sort of, if my husband and I can afford to get sushi or whatever. I personally love the concept of valentines day, it's romantic imo.

I loved celebrating Valentine's Day in elementary school because in my school every kid had to make/buy a valentines card for every other kid in the class, and we would make our own little decked-out shoeboxes to put the valentines in, and lots of kids would attach little candies to the cards. It was so cute!

Middle school and high school though.. not so much. Also did not care for the whole candy cane thing. I never got a candy cane. Boo

 

[Xara]

unless buying valentine’s day chocolate/candy for myself once it goes on sale counts, no lol.

i’ve been in a few relationships, but never during or around valentine’s day, so i’ve never had anyone to celebrate with. i can kind of understand the appeal of it, but i personally would dread the holiday if i were with someone, because what if they just... didn’t do anything? logically, it wouldn’t really be a big deal at all, but i of course would still have hurt feelings and overthink it, especially since i would do something for them.

 

[Chris]

I'm a romantic so naturally I love it. I make the effort with smaller gestures year-round to show the person I'm with that I love her and to make her feel special, but I'll more than gladly take the excuse to take things up a notch and make it more of a special occasion.

 

[Suntide]

No, it's not for me. I'm somewhere on the more-aromantic-than-not side of the spectrum. Also, displays of affection (both romantic and platonic) make me uncomfortable and feel awkward, so I generally avoid going places on Valentine's Day so that I don't have to see any. I can see how it'd be fun for people who are into that sort of thing.

 

[Shipper-Girl-27]

Meh, I can live without Valentine’s Day. While I am very lonely in the romance department and yes I do know there’s all types of love, we don’t need a specific day for it. So if I ever do find romance the person doesn’t need to do anything for me on said day.