It is a day when shelves are full of chocolate, everyone is holding roses, and love is abound.
Valentine’s Day.
On Feb. 14, many plan to dedicate the day to love and affection for a special someone, or just friends and family.
Since 270 AD, Feb. 14. has been marked off as a special day, but only recently has it become as popular and commercialized as it is.
Valentine’s Day is so popular that with 1 billion cards sold per year, it is the second largest card-selling holiday in the world, only behind Christmas, according to the Greeting Card Association.
For some Carlmont students, Valentine’s Day is a time to enjoy themselves and spend time platonically with friends.
Sophomore Cate Armstrong, who is in a relationship, said, “Last year on Valentine’s Day, I went to the mall with my friends. We all bought chocolate from See’s Candies, shopped, and then made personal pizzas together. It just goes to show that even if you don’t have date on Valentine’s Day, you can still make the most of your day.”
Armstrong is not the only American spending money on Valentine’s Day. In 2015, the National Retail Federation said that $18.6 billion dollars were spent on purchases for the special occasion.
This spending can amount to a lot, which is why senior Kamrin Choye thinks that the day has become too much.
“I don’t like having to spend so much money buying gifts and cards for Valentine’s Day. I feel like it’s kind of pointless to do since everything is so expensive,” said Choye.
Choye is not the only one who thinks Valentine’s Day has become too commercialized. Sophomore Soren Hawkins also feels that Valentine’s Day has too much importance placed on it.
“I think it’s one of those holidays that companies use to make money. Sure, people should spend time with their loved ones, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to go out and spend tons of money on things like chocolates and stuffed animals. It’s a good idea but has become more of a commercial holiday than anything,” said Hawkins.
Although students have mixed opinions about the holiday, they still have the option of spending the day with their loved ones, as Valentine’s Day falls on a four day weekend for Carlmont students.
