Valentines Day – Is it all a cod?
Valentines day, you either love it or hate it, you celebrate it or you don’t and you either go all out with dinner in the Shelbourne or make a last minute trip to the local chipper. A day for celebrating the love you have for your significant other by means of romantic dinners, thoughtful gifts or perhaps just taking time out to say “I Love You”. But what’s it all about, is it all just a cod and do we really need an international day to show your love for that someone special?
The man of the hour St. Valentine is the patron saint of Love. Many couples flock to Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church, in Dublin to have their wedding rings blessed, it is here where the relics of St. Valentine are housed. According to Tripadvisor the relics are a “Hidden gem and a must see in the city”. Stories differ about the saint historically, but one thing is for certain that St. Valentine was a Christian martyr and is the one person that is associated with the word Love.
By default, St. Valentines Day is an incentive and bonus to retailers and industries alike. According to the Irish Independent, the average couple spends €50 on each other for the day that’s in it, and taking into account the cost-of-living crisis we are currently living in, it’s a wonder that it is not more than that. By the time you add it all up, the chocolates, the card, dinner, drinks and perhaps even a new outfit for the day, it can be a very costly 24 hours of endearment, but isn’t it worth it for your true love! Lorna Trainor from A Room in Bloom in Westmeath stated that this Valentines Day was the year of “a dozen red roses” and that this year “succeeded all expectations in terms of orders”. It is clear that the art of buying flowers is a long time away from dyeing out, many florists say that after Mother’s Day, Valentines is their second busiest period. Lorna also stated that “online flower shopping is now taking centre stage”
Of course, us humans, we like to keep up with the traditions of our ancestors. Matchmaking festivals, dates, affection, love letters, marriage till death do us part and the odd kiss (it stops there), these are all the areas of love we think about in the context of St. Valentines day but is this celebratory day on its final journey? Sharon Kenny from the matchmaker.ie thinks not, she states that Valentines Day is still “totally relevant” to today’s society and that it is not about spending big money, and it should be more creative, “it’s about people coming out of their usual box” possibly making a card instead of buy one in a shop. Sharon also said that a new trend in the way people celebrate Valentines Day is “spending more on perhaps a trip away instead of jewellery”
“Amor vincit omnia.” – Love Conquers All
