The Evolution of Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a date for sweethearts but that has been changing in recent years. It is becoming a very profitable day for retailers because of single folk as well as couples. In 2019, the National Retail Foundation estimated that two billion dollars would be spent on February 14th, 88 million flowers would be delivered and 8 million pounds of candy would be delivered. A portion of those sales is no doubt from single women who decided to treat themselves for this annual event.

There was a time in society when if any holiday did not pertain. to you, the day passed uneventfully. Those who did not believe in Christmas simply let December 25th come and go but that day is over. This is becoming more evident as it pertains to the 14th day of the second month.

When I was in elementary school we gave cards to our classmates and had parties in the classrooms. As a high school student in the 1970s, teen girls who were dating were always so excited to get Valentine's Day candy, cards, or jewelry from their boyfriends or to be asked to a Sweethearts dance. If girls who were not dating felt some kind of way about the season of love, they kept it to themselves. Some perhaps hoped the following year they too would be on the receiving end of love and affection but they did nothing to indicate they were disappointed.

When I began working for a credit department in 1979, there were a few women whose husbands sent them flowers to the office on Valentine’s Day. Those who did not get a visit from the florist congratulated the ladies who did and if there was any envy they kept it to themselves. In general, females who were not dating or married simply went about their business until the day was over. That, however, was then and this is now.

Things are no longer that cut and dried on the day of love as many younger single women today are deciding to celebrate themselves on February 14. I think this distracts from the day being a time for couples to express love for one another. Women in our modern age are celebrating the day in their own special ways.

No one would think of taking over another person’s birthday and having their own celebration. Such an activity would be frowned upon and it would be said that everyone should observe their own birth date. In days gone by no female would have thought of observing February 14 as a single woman, but in recent years things have been changing and evolving. I have been made aware that a number of single ladies have decided to not simply let the day of love pass and go all out to make sure they enjoy February 14 in their own manner.

Some women purchase candy, gifts, clothing, or jewelry for themselves, to celebrate Valentine’s Day. There are also those who go out to clubs or to the movies in groups with other single ladies. This is very different from the days when gifts were given from a significant other or spouse, to express love. My twelve-year-old grandson informed me today that he received a Valentine’s Day card from a secret admirer in his locker and he was so excited he was blushing. Celebrating yourself is not quite the same as having another person express their fondness for you, but to each his or her own.

Valentines Day is big business and adults in recent decades seem to be having more fun than teenagers. Last year I was told there was a local club that had a contest and women wore basically what amounts to lingerie and were being judged on whose outfit was the sexiest. There are even websites that advertise what single women can do on February 14, so they won’t be home alone.

I'm a baby boomer so I look at things from a differnt lens and mean no harm but I think it’s sad that women today feel they must be pacified and do something to prove they are OK with being single on Valentine’s Day. It’s only one 24 hour period and in my opinion, going all out to make a big deal of the day indicates that you are not feeling good about yourself instead of allowing the day to pass as if it were only just another date on the calendar. There probably still are single women who do just that but be that as it may Valentine’s Day is continuing to evolve.

There has also been a religious movement for the past decade where women during the month of February announce that God or Jesus is their Valentine. By this same time next year, there will probably be additional evolution related to the day that used to be for sweethearts.