By Alejandra Garcia
Page Editor
As Valentine’s Day approaches, we see stores lined up with walls and walls of Valentine ‘s-themed merchandise. When this time of year comes around, we all see the giant upswing in people feeling pressured to buy excessively expensive gifts and flowers.
A simple card and bouquet is enough for most, yet there’s also this unrealistic expectation of spending hundreds of dollars on a gift, when most would just prefer quality time or affection. The romanticization of this holiday can be toxic. Especially with the influence of social media, the expectations of the holiday are absolutely impossible for the average college student.
Prices go up as soon as Valentine’s Day hits the mainstream, causing flower prices almost twice as expensive and giving restaurants an excuse to slap a heart on food and call it an exclusive Valentine’s dish. All the while charging premium prices throughout the season.
Valentine’s Day is wonderful for massive corporations but not so much for individuals. It turns into a marketing campaign, guilting people into thinking they need extravagant gifts to post on social media.
Although these are targeted at couples, there is still a focus on single people celebrating Galentine’s Day instead. A good example of this in the past was Elvis; the company that made supportive and fun merchandise for the singer also made anti-Elvis-adjacent merchandise. They gained so much more money by using the pressured idea that you need to have something to either support or oppose a cause, or in this case, a holiday.
Despite all these marketing tactics, there are still other ways to show support and love to the people close to you without breaking the bank for giant bears that will be stored in the attic as soon as the novelty wears off.
People should turn to more creative ways to show affection, such as making scrapbooks, crafting their own cards, and even creating cute DIY projects for their partners and loved ones. A great day of love should begin with the reason it started it all and shown in the actions and characters that a partner displays, not buys.
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