The Anti-Valentine's Day Thread

[Scylla Rhiadra]

From the outset, I want to make it clear that I do not hate Valentine's Day. I see, intrinsically, absolutely nothing wrong with a day that celebrates romantic love.

I also emphatically do not resent or want to seem to be belittling those who love Valentine's Day. I know that there are many for whom this is an especially magic day, and I am in no way suggesting it shouldn't be. If V Day is your thing, enjoy it! I sincerely hope you have a lovely one!

BUT . . . what I have come to resent is the relentless onslaught, usually beginning in mid-January if not earlier, of commercialized, commodified Valentine's Day merchandizing and marketing. It's nearly as bad as the lead-up to Christmas and Hallowe'en, and in SL, doubly so. I can't open the MP, or go to a store or event, without being blinded by the glare of glowing pink hearts, and kitschy cupids. And, too, in SL particularly, the holiday has increasingly become sexualized: it's not merely about romantic love; more and more, Valentine's Day messaging and merchandizing is not about the connect between two hearts, but rather about the connect between the sheets. Which in one sense is fine -- I'm not a prude. But god it's all so booooooring.

There's another element to this, too, however. The media and marketing around Valentine's Day has become so ubiquitous, and so aggressive, that it can serve, in effect, to make anyone who doesn't have a significant other, a boyfriend or girlfriend or lover, feel utterly excluded and somehow inadequate. It can, for some, become a constant, haranguing reminder that they are alone.

The solution is not to "ban" Valentine's Day -- obviously. Again, intrinsically there is nothing wrong with a day celebrating love and our romantic connections.

But it would be really lovely if it were less militant, less in-your-face, and less implicitly judgemental.

Anyway, I thought I'd create this thread as a place to gripe for those who dislike, resent, or are simply bored by Valentine's Day.

No need to defend it, if you love it: no one wants you to give it up. But those of us who are annoyed, not by the holiday, but by the way it is marketed and force-fed to us, need a place to vent too!

[Jordyn McGregor]

I resent Easter Eggs being sold in February!

[Scylla Rhiadra]

Just now, Jordan Whitt said:

I resent Easter Eggs being sold in February!

That too!

Unless they are those nice candy-coated Cadbury's ones. I'd like those year round, please.

[Rowan Amore]

Long ago, we decided not to celebrate Valentine's day.  My husband and I do give each other silly gifts to celebrate Groundhog's Day instead.  It's funny and sentimental at the same time as we think of it as our special day.  Kind of silly but we like it.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

1 minute ago, Rowan Amore said:

Long ago, we decided not to celebrate Valentine's day.  My husband and I do give each other silly gifts to celebrate Groundhog's Day instead.  It's funny and sentimental at the same time as we think of it as our special day.  Kind of silly but we like it.

That's kind of brilliant!

And groundhogs are adorable. We could stand fewer pink hearts and more groundhogs!

[Anna Nova]

Holy Saint Valentine, the Martyr, pray for us!

There!  That's today sorted.

[PermaRuthed]

[Jordyn McGregor]

[Garnet Psaltery]

[Gwin LeShelle]

I resent people making vent threads over everything these days XD

And since Valentines Day is totally different here in Japan, there REALLY is a reason over here for WOMEN that should be outraged, and its not that stupid reason for seeing it everywhere.

Women here were LONG expected to make or buy expensive chocolates for every male worker above them in their company!

It could cost you an endless amount of money (some payed 3 months worth of salary for it) and if you missed someone it was a HUGE fauxpas.

So I really do not get venting over such a minor issue

Here the women started to finally stand up against this, and so some make NO chocolate at all or like me ..they just make chocolate, as once intended for the boy of their hearts, sos my husband, son and dad in law are getting chocolates x3

And our Vday was quite nice we have 3 kids, so the inlaws took them as they often do tho, and we had a nice loooong hike with the dog, and I got a nice ring with a diamond for every year that we are a couple now...because this year is a huge anniversary for us, we fell in love when we were 18 ^^

But usually we don't celebrate big, just ruining the kitchen together while making chocolate

[Ceka Cianci]

I don't care for all the advertising myself in RL or SL.. It's just advertisers extending the market to make more off  that day..

I see it more as a dating holiday than a committed relationship holiday anyways.. Because a committed relationship gives you more freedom to have those special days..

Also I don't care for how advertisers make a lot of their adds like they are reminding men what to do on this one day.. Get her something special for that special day, like this really nice diamond necklace..

I don't need them getting in his head like that.. Still we'll probably do something because it's a pretty good excuse to drop the kids off at the grandparents house for the night.. hehehe

 

[Maryanne Solo]

I've been invited to see a rare vintage sundial, in a beautiful rose garden - next week lol.
All USA "days" should be rolled into one day.
Valenweens day or something. 🙄

[Bree Giffen]

 

[Luna Bliss]

6 hours ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

 

I totally agree, Scylla -- no boyfriend, no problem    

[Luna Bliss]

 

[Talligurl]

6 hours ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

I have come to resent is the relentless onslaught of commercialized, commodified merchandizing and marketing.

Yes this.

[FairreLilette]

I've never made nor sold Valentine's specific items in SL before this year.  I came up with some ideas, so I made the items and sold them.  After such a lousy year I felt LOVE is not a bad thing to remember, and they sold quite well.  My items were inworld exclusives only.  I'm glad some of my friends picked them up as I also feel they could be for any time too.   When I made these, I never once thought I was being commercial probably because they could be used anytime because cherubs are a very large part of antique French decor and Shabby Chic.  IOW, cherubs are an every day part of French decor.

Edited February 14, 2021 by FairreLilette

[Profaitchikenz Haiku]

I've reluctantly joined in. I cycled down to the village shop a couple of days back to get a Card for my partner, and the shop had none. Not "sorry we're sold out" but "Oh, no, I don't think we stock anything specialised". I ended up getting a postcard of a flowering Lily and a small pink cardboard heart with two cat hair-clips attached to it as the best I could do.

[Silent Mistwalker]

My father passed away on February 14 so I don't celebrate Valentine's Day any more.

[Silent Mistwalker]

8 minutes ago, Profaitchikenz Haiku said:

I've reluctantly joined in. I cycled down to the village shop a couple of days back to get a Card for my partner, and the shop had none. Not "sorry we're sold out" but "Oh, no, I don't think we stock anything specialised". I ended up getting a postcard of a flowering Lily and a small pink cardboard heart with two cat hair-clips attached to it as the best I could do.

Why not get some crayons and construction paper and make your own cards? Ok well maybe not crayons but colored pencils or markers.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

8 hours ago, Anna Nova said:

Holy Saint Valentine, the Martyr, pray for us!

There!  That's today sorted.

There are times when decapitation seems the only truly reasonable response.

[Scylla Rhiadra]

1 hour ago, FairreLilette said:

I've never made nor sold Valentine's specific items in SL before this year.  I came up with some ideas, so I made the items and sold them.  After such a lousy year I felt LOVE is not a bad thing to remember, and they sold quite well.  My items were inworld exclusives only.  I'm glad some of my friends picked them up as I also feel they could be for any time too.   When I made these, I never once thought I was being commercial probably because they could be used anytime because cherubs are a very large part of antique French decor and Shabby Chic.  IOW, cherubs are an every day part of French decor.

I think these look really lovely!

The issue, so far as I'm concerned anyway, isn't the making and selling of things with a Valentine's Day theme -- or, as in your case, just referencing "love." Love is a good thing!

It's the barrage of media messages and marketing around the holiday, and the implicit message that if you don't have a "valentine," then, really, you're kind of a loser.

I don't see any of that in play here. These are just nice decorative objects.

[Amina Sopwith]

2 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

It's the barrage of media messages and marketing around the holiday, and the implicit message that if you don't have a "valentine," then, really, you're kind of a loser.

I've seen cards lately for "palentines" and "galentines" (for platonic female friends)...to me, it looks as though the marketing is branching out to include all kinds of love. Saw several people today doing the Valentine's Day Q&A thing for their dogs. Gave them all a like.

But you could argue that the companies are extending the meaning of "Valentine" only so that they can commercialise it still further, so that might not be a win.

 

[Profaitchikenz Haiku]

1 hour ago, Silent Mistwalker said:

Why not get some crayons and construction paper and make your own cards? Ok well maybe not crayons but colored pencils or markers.

I woke up the inkjet printer. After an hour of nozzle-wipes and cleans it still said Nyet, si I stuck with what I'd got.

[Silent Mistwalker]

3 minutes ago, Amina Sopwith said:

I've seen cards lately for "palentines" and "galentines" (for platonic female friends)...to me, it looks as though the marketing is branching out to include all kinds of love. Saw several people today doing the Valentine's Day Q&A thing for their dogs. Gave them all a like.

But you could argue that the companies are extending the meaning of "Valentine" only so that they can commercialise it still further, so that might not be a win.

 

In the US, for a few decades at least, there have been V-Day cards for friends, grandparents, parents, even your dog. It's all about the money, not love.