Roses, chocolates, teddy bears and greeting cards. Does showing love need to have a price tag on it?
When people think of Valentine’s Day, many think of the goods that come along with it; it is almost as if that is the main component of the holiday. However, Valentine’s Day is defined as celebrating love and affection, so why do people buy these gifts?
Capital One Shopping research states consumer spending on Valentine’s Day 2024 totaled $25.8 billion. That amount might seem extreme, but it represents the normalcy of spending excessive amounts of money for loved ones, which can have its downside.
With Valentine’s Day being a very commercialized celebration, the idea of appreciating love slowly diminishes with the bulky price tags of gifts. People often forget proving love does not have to be done by breaking the bank. As the pressure to spend money on Valentine’s Day increases, meaningful gestures are valued less.
Valentine-exclusive menus in cafes, seasonal aisles in grocery stores and social media continue to push this narrative. In grade school, it is common to see candy grams, roses, personalized notes and stuffed animals on sale for students to buy. While a sweet gesture, this could put students under the impression that it is necessary to spend when they see their peers handing gifts out to people they appreciate.
People often forget there are multiple ways to show love. Words of affirmation, acts of service and even quality time are all priceless options that do not have to be shown on just one special day.
Ultimately, emphasizing the meaning of Valentine’s Day is most important. Love is one of the most profound and complex human emotions, so we should not be putting a price tag on it.
While receiving gifts can be a tangible reminder of care and appreciation, what matters is your love for your close ones. True affection is not measured with roses and teddy bears or any other Valentine’s Day gifts, but in the heartfelt moments and gestures that money cannot buy.
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