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Expression of Love - Valentine’s Day 2011

by Savitha C Muppala on Feb 13 2011 11:47 AM
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Valentine’s Day, celebrated on 14th February every year, is synonymous with expression of love, friendship and bonding. The day is dedicated to the celebration of love, a common thread that binds all of us. As the day approaches, lovers, friends, partners, and spouses work overtime to find unique ways to express their deepest feelings to their sweethearts.  

In India, it is the youngsters who attach a lot of importance to Valentine’s Day celebrations.  Many dance parties and celebrations are planned, and lovers spend the day exchanging gifts and making each other feel special. 

Some political groups in India look down upon such celebrations, which according to them contribute to  erosion of Indian values and culture. For the multitude who choose to profess love in ostentatious ways on this day, there are as many for whom this day is just another ordinary day.

In the Western world, The United States of America tops the celebration for Valentine’s Day.  Much like the preparation for Christmas, Valentine’s Day too is planned with much festivity. Dinner reservations are made, holiday bookings are done, and gifts are bought, to make the day a memorable one. According to statistics, Americans spend close to $17 billion on Valentine gifts. Nearly eight million people send gifts to their valentine in the U.S. Yet, astonishingly, the divorce rates still leave much to be desired.

Chocolates rule the roost on Valentine’s Day in Japan, where women usually gift men with chocolates in interesting shapes depending upon the depth of their amorous relationship. It is quite a different celebration in Africa, celebrated mostly by youngsters. Nicknamed as Lupercalia,  youngsters wear the names of their boyfriends on their sleeves as a display of affection, as they revel  in music and dance. In South Africa, this period is a time of hectic activity with restaurants and tourist spots pandering to the influx of tourists and lovers waiting to make the day special. 

Undoubtedly, love needs to be expressed as often as possible to keep relationships alive and strong. Many question the rationale behind dedicating a single day to express eternal love. In their opinion, there is too much hype about Valentine’s day celebration, which has made ‘love’ more commercial and materialistic.(courtesy ‘marketing’ love on Valentine’s Day)  Valentine’s Day is fast losing its sheen to commerce and materialism and is often seen only as an opportunity for big brands to pitch for extra gains during this season, in the name of love.

The foundations of love and bonding certainly go beyond mere exchange of gifts or revelry, especially on just one day in the year. In essence, while Valentine’s Day is a good time to let loved ones know the depth of one’s feelings, it is equally important to let the feelings of love pour munificently and consistently all through the year.

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Time spent on relationships help them stand the test of time. Let us not wait for Valentine’s Day to profess undying love to our loved ones. Let us seize every opportunity to celebrate love for love is life!

Source-Medindia


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