There is no doubt about it, Valentine's day has become very commercialised since it first started out as , Saint Valentine's Day (commonly shortened to Valentine's Day), is an annual holiday held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The holiday is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in AD 496. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The holiday first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. For chocolatiers, jewellers, restaurateurs and greeting card manufacturers, Valentine's Day is, after Christmas, the most lucrative moment of the year. But this year the outlook is not very good. For one thing, Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday, when there are no postal deliveries, which can't encourage the sending of cards. And men are increasingly reluctant to send cards. According to a survey carried out by Lindt chocolates, many of the men who would once have sent cards now prefer to declare their love by text message or email. Women's expectations of male gallantry have also fallen very low, for the survey finds that two-thirds of them expect to share the cost of their Valentine's Day dinner out, while only a third will be surprised if they have to "go Dutch".
I think it's absolutely worth celebrating especially for long term couples, I don't however necessarily agree with spending heaps of money, I do not also agree with the cards either except in the early stages of a relationship when it may be too early to communicate effectively and cards can pretty much for you.I do think it's a time to check in with your loved ones and show they are on your mind and in your thoughts. A small token won't go amiss either
IF you are alone this valentine's day..never fear try these ideas for a funfilled day.
Go out to dinner with a friend or friends or a family member who is special to you. Celebrate the love you have for each other.
• Have a Valentine's Day party. Invite people who you know are alone, too. Have them each bring a dish they ‘love' to share.
• Bake or make something for someone else...maybe cupcakes..everyone loves cupcakes. But you will think of what suits the person or persons you are baking for. Take it to them and tell them how much they mean to you.
• Try to stay out of the past. Stay in the moment you're in where you are only you, celebrating love and what it means in your life.
• Let out the feelings. If Valentine's Day has particularly poignant memories for you and you cannot shake the sadness, or even the anger that you have lost the one you love... let it out. Not at people, of course, just in the quiet of your own space...in whatever manner that comes to you. After you have vented your sadness, anger, hurt, rage...there will be room to let in some joy.
• Rent your favorite funny movie. A hearty laugh is as therapeutic as a good cry. My friend loves ‘Meatballs' and ‘Sleeper.' I tend to the Marx Brothers or the silliness of Monty Python. Whatever movie you love. Watch it and laugh. It may be the first time in a long time that you have.
• Create a ritual that has meaning for you. For instance: write a note or a blessing to your loved one, or one for yourself and your new life. Put it in a balloon and let it fly. Whatever ritual you create will be the best one.
• Concentrate on gratitude. Keep a positive attitude about all the love you do have in your life and focus less on what you have lost. It brings great rewards in terms of your well being. Write down what you are grateful for and keep it where you can see it.
• Get out in Nature. Take a long walk. Hug a tree if you really want to feel stability and strength. Or drive to a spot that gives you comfort and peace. It helps us realize that there is something much bigger than our own pain
