In my earlier days, I celebrated Valentine's day with a lot of gusto. I was one of the organizer's of a private Valentine's party, at the time something almost unheard of, many years ago. However, we were all on shoestring budgets, girls and boys contributed and had an evening of fun and went home.
Today, this essentially young and fresh festival has become a competition to see who (whose parents actually) has more spending power. Greeting cards keep getting more and more expensive, love keeps getting measured in terms of 'My Valentine's Gift' is better than 'Your Valentine's Gift'.
Its interesting to note the demise of romance and the rise of mammon.
An essentially private / personal day, to acknowledge love (not just between amorous pairs, though many people do not know that) and spout love has become a display of wealth.
Its particularly interesting to note that here wealth is not a means to an end, like having a nice dinner, or going for a drive, or giving a token gift that will be seen by the loved one time and again, but rather the cool quotient of the hotel / pub, how swank the car is and is the gifted mobile phone the latest and jazziest or not?
Any views from any of the geriatrics (people above 30 years of age) out there?
