By Lauren Zazzara
Features Assignment Editor
The traditional symbol of Valentine’s Day is the heart. Today, the symbol might as well be a dollar sign.
Upon walking into Walmart a few weeks ago, I noticed a bin near the registers loaded with 27-inch Valentine’s Day teddy bears with red bows on their necks. One tail of the ribbon said “Happy Valentine’s Day” while the other said “I love you.” Online, the ribbons can be personalized to have the name of one’s significant other on the bow. The bears cost $39.99 each. I am a sucker for stuffed animals; they are adorable, cuddly and sweet. But should the ribbon on a teddy bear be the way to tell someone that you love him or her?
Valentine’s Day is shrouded with expectations. We expect our loved one to give us a heart-shaped box of chocolates, a teddy bear, a bouquet of roses, a beautiful piece of jewelry or maybe even an engagement ring. If he or she doesn’t spend the expected amount of money on your gift, maybe he or she doesn’t love you enough, is cheap or doesn’t think you are important. Is this your opinion or a statement about the way people think?
Maybe you are going to dinner for a date night. If your date doesn’t pay the bill, it’s a sign he or she is not serious about you. If you’re going to a movie and your date doesn’t pay for your ticket, he or she is thoughtless. It’s Valentine’s Day and you should be treated, right? The more money the better. The more money the more you are loved. This mentality does not make any sense. Make sure it’s clear that the questions above are not your opinion, but rather the way a lot of people think. It takes ten minutes for somebody to walk into Walmart, pick out a bouquet of flowers and a giant card, pay and go home. It takes two minutes to cover a bill.
It might take a little bit of effort to bring a giant teddy bear home, but it is still a generic choice. How much love or thought went into those gifts? A gift doesn’t have to be expensive to express someone’s love. A love poem or letter costs no money. You can use a piece of paper and pen from your room. But that poem or letter will take a lot of thought and maybe a lot of time. It will express the words that you cannot eloquently say. It will lay down your innermost thoughts and show your loved one your true feelings. Or take your true love somewhere. Ice skating is a cheap way to spend precious time together. Isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is about?
Of course, if your significant other collects teddy bears, get him or her a teddy bear. If he or she is avid about a certain kind of flower, pick a bouquet of that flower. Just make sure that whatever gift you choose, no matter how expensive or inexpensive it is it comes from the heart, because a heart is the symbol of Valentine’s Day.
zazzarlm13@bonaventure.edu
