Valentine's Day Is Overrated; Single Women Share Why It Is Just Another Day

Valentine’s Day is just a few hours away, and according to me, it’s overrated. My younger self was obsessed with Valentine’s Day. I used to think that it was a special day to celebrate with your special someone, an exclusive day to celebrate love, but then I grew up and realised it was just another day. Adulthood happened, and I started wondering, Why should love be celebrated only on this one day? Isn't love supposed to be expressed every day?

Legend narrates different stories about Valentine's Day but none of them is actually romantic. According to Roman legend, Valentine's Day is a festival where women were paired with men through lottery. Are we celebrating women being perceived as commodities? Another legend says, St Valentine was executed as a punishment for performing secret marriages to save the husbands from going to war on February 14 by Roman emperor Claudius II. Isn't it sickening to know that we're celebrating someone's death anniversary?

Valentine's Day Is Overrated

Many people assume that Valentine’s Day is the day to express their everlasting love for each other. Practically, love should be consistent, not surge all of a sudden on one day and dip into the sea bed throughout the rest of the year. If you love someone, you should be able to express your love for them every day. That doesn’t mean expensive grand gestures. Small gestures like sharing household chores and parenting responsibilities, leaving love notes, cooking for each other, etc. are all signs of love. Respecting your partner is love! Treating your partner special every day is love. But not many women get the basic respect they deserve. So, a sudden overflow of love on Valentine’s Day and neglect on other days is "love bombing," and that’s toxic.

The hype around Valentine’s Day is way too much, and could make singles feel left out. The hype might influence teenagers to rush into relationships or dating without having any clarity. Some youngsters just get into relationships for the sake of being in one. They don't realise that love is much more than just going out, having fun, and posting pictures on social media. Immature relationships with unrealistic goals only lead to disappointments.

For some people in relationships, Valentine’s Day could be a headache. If their partner is a die-hard fan of huge romantic gestures, they would expect grand surprises like a décor-filled room, a candle-lit dinner at an expensive restaurant, or a romantic getaway. People already have a lot to spend on, and Valentine’s Day is just another commercial scam to pool out money from the public.

"Frankly, it doesn’t bother me at all. I see a lot of couple posts and reels on social media every day, so Valentine's Day doesn’t make a big difference," said Sruti, 29, who is currently single.

Emphasising self-love, Anne, 29, said, "The only thing that excites me about Valentine’s Day is the offers everywhere. I love that part! Singles get benefits that way. After all, self-care is the best love!"

"Valentine’s Day has always been just another day for me," said Ramya, 30. It's a weekday, so I’ll be swamped at work. Moreover, I’m not a person who believes in expressing love only on Valentine’s Day," she added, pointing out that love should be expressed every day.

Talking about how adulthood changes the perception of love, Deeptha, 29, said, "A few years back, Valentine’s Day wasn’t a big deal on social media. Now, even if I do feel left out at times after seeing something on social media, the comments make me cringe. As an adult, it’s topsy-turvy, and I've just learned to live with it."

If you’re in a relationship and wish to celebrate the day, do it by all means. Every small gesture matters. Just don’t put pressure on yourself to imitate what you see in the media or hear from friends.

If you’re single, it doesn’t mean you have to sit indoors and sulk about your uninteresting life. If it doesn't bother you, that's great. If you happen to feel left out, just gift yourself something you’ve been wanting to buy, get a new makeover, or go to the spa and rejuvenate yourself. If you want to party, go along with single friends, or just go by yourself and meet new people. You deserve to be happy, regardless of your relationship status!

Suggested Reading: Valentine’s Day Only For Couples? Nah, Love Has Different Forms