It's that day of the year again...

[CountVonNumenor]

I feel like my mood is rather mixed as I already passed into Tuesday. 

Oh boy, this Valentine's Day sure will be brilliant... I am in the middle of my two weeks break from the courses, so far from anyone I know or I could meet (Romanian academic autonomy made it so my break did not coincide with that of my closest friends). And since I do not have anyone to cherish this day with, all I can do is just stay in front of the computer and watch some more anime (probably Amagami) and wait to attend an introductory course in the evening. 
Usually, I just do not care about this day, and just treat it like any regular day in the week and calendar - so completely dismissing all the meaning and symbolism it was given.
However, I do have some momentary slips every now and then and...maybe start regretting I do not have to to cherish this artificially fabricated festivity day with?

So... how are you going to be spending this day? 

For me, I will just be at home, focusing on the beginning of the next college semester. I just want a break, and forget of everything for a couple weeks before going back to hell. Since we are finally having our courses face-to-face, but literally nobody attends the courses (usually due to professors asking for just low attendance or no attendance at all), I still did not manage to meet and befriend many of my new colleagues. Especially with the "do not date group colleagues" getting so staunchly reinforced, I still have to look in other places for that someone special. So no Valentine for me this year...

But I grew kind of used to it, and only hope remains for the next year. Maybe next time...

[Nekofire]

I’m doomed… I forgot that it’s today and I have nothing to offer 

I think that people don’t mind anymore about Valentine’s day my friends always say that it’s just a useless festivity and it’s just about spending money into insignificant presents… we don’t need a specific day to love someone more than the other days and I think it’s important to remember that before loving someone, we have to love and cherish ourselves or else it’ll create a toxic relationship :3

[Ken Hisuag]

Valentine's Day is my personally second most important holiday of the year, right behind Resurrection Day. Originally in honor of Saint Valentine, a Roman bishop and martyr known for his commitment to performing marriage ceremonies in the face of opposition, the day has more or less become meaningless in popular culture. A holiday, a holy-day, a day set apart for remembrance, is only useful so long as there is something worth celebrating. It is a day of emphasis, for there is no authenticity in celebrating something that does not apply at other times (if you only give thanks on Thanksgiving, you aren't really thankful). For me, this day is an opportunity to reflect on love--what it is, where it comes from, and the ways I am blessed with it in my life. I'm short on time, or I would leave the text of 1 John 4:7-11 as reference.

I've yet to have the beginnings of a romantic relationship; I esteem the concept too much to risk being flippant. What I do have is six younger siblings and two loving parents; I am very close with my family, and so I use this holiday for the purpose of celebrating that familial love that I've been blessed with. Not everyone is blessed in this way; some are blessed with friendship, others may be limited to memories of past expressions of love that are no longer present. But even in worst case scenario when someone hasn't personally experienced love, there yet exists the ultimate love of God from which all other forms of love proceed, which is applicable to everyone. So while my celebration may not be as large or spectacular as that for Christmas (traditions die hard), internally I consider this to be the more important concept, and take joy in the opportunity to reflect upon it with other people.

[OkuuFallout]

8 hours ago, Ken Hisuag said:

Valentine's Day is my personally second most important holiday of the year, right behind Resurrection Day. Originally in honor of Saint Valentine, a Roman bishop and martyr known for his commitment to performing marriage ceremonies in the face of opposition, the day has more or less become meaningless in popular culture. A holiday, a holy-day, a day set apart for remembrance, is only useful so long as there is something worth celebrating. It is a day of emphasis, for there is no authenticity in celebrating something that does not apply at other times (if you only give thanks on Thanksgiving, you aren't really thankful). For me, this day is an opportunity to reflect on love--what it is, where it comes from, and the ways I am blessed with it in my life. I'm short on time, or I would leave the text of 1 John 4:7-11 as reference.

I've yet to have the beginnings of a romantic relationship; I esteem the concept too much to risk being flippant. What I do have is six younger siblings and two loving parents; I am very close with my family, and so I use this holiday for the purpose of celebrating that familial love that I've been blessed with. Not everyone is blessed in this way; some are blessed with friendship, others may be limited to memories of past expressions of love that are no longer present. But even in worst case scenario when someone hasn't personally experienced love, there yet exists the ultimate love of God from which all other forms of love proceed, which is applicable to everyone. So while my celebration may not be as large or spectacular as that for Christmas (traditions die hard), internally I consider this to be the more important concept, and take joy in the opportunity to reflect upon it with other people.

As with most other people, I may not have much to celebrate on this holiday, but based on what you've just said, I realize that the modern view on the somewhat nonexistent meaning of this holiday is much undeserved. As a fellow Christian, I do believe that some of our holidays deserve recognition from those with other religious views. Even if people don't believe in Christianity, there are still moral values that are relevant to the atheistic world. While most countries have no reason to celebrate days such as St. Patrick's Day, which marks the death of a missionary who preached in Ireland, it can still be used to celebrate and acknowledge Irish culture, much like how here in America people are currently celebrating Black History Month.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I agree with what you say. Holidays, religious or not, may not be as much appreciated as some of the others. Even though I believe some holidays really don't need to be widely recognized to the point of being on our calendars (looking at you, Columbus Day), it may be worthwhile to remember why said day is a holiday to begin with.

[SoundOfRayne]

I'll be honest: Hearing someone passionately celebrate Valentine's Day is a little... unsettling? Like, here in America, Valentine's Day really does just amount to either "buy a gift for your significant other" Day or "enjoy acknowledging the fact that you're single" Day. In either case, any historical or moral significance this holiday should've had has long been forgotten by the general public. It's a strange feeling, but it is nice to know that the holiday is appreciated and appreciated well by a few people out there, even if I'm not one of them.

Not that knowing any better really changes how I actually go about my day. My day has been spent doing as I would any other day; cooking, going to work, doing my assignments, MAKING MY GLORIOUS RETURN TO THE FORUMS, but with the added benefit that some people may end their brief conversations with me with a "Happy Valentine's Day." But only some.

[Reitisen]

Hmm Valentines day...

Honestly just feels like another day for me as all other days are. Don't really care about finding a partner nowadays as I'm happy with doing the stuff I'm doing now. Having fun and enjoying the moment! 

Though I've mostly spent my day doing college assignments and writing essays.