Which is the most pointless "holiday"??

[Sapsorrow]

Ouch, I'm beginning to feel the need to defend Valentine's Day! What could be wrong with a holiday in honor of romantic love itself? Everyone saying "I don't need a holiday to show my love" sounds a little, dare I say it, Scrooge-ish? :wink:

Seriously, though, I don't see Valentine's as more commercial than Christmas, at least as they are outside my front door. Is the animosity entirely the result of years spent without a Valentine, which just carries over even after you have one? I'm not much of a romantic myself, but on Valentine's Day I pull out a tragic romance or read a classic of literary love. We celebrate so many worse things inadvertently every day of the year, and love is so maligned these days with everyone too cool to "get carried away" with it.

My secret Valentine's Day vice? Watching the teen movie remake of "Taming of the Shrew" called "10 Things I Hate About You." Heath Ledger bribing the marching band to play "I Love You Baby" during his "sweetheart's" gym class and cavorting through the stands dodging the security was classic. Fool for love, right?

 

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Ouch, I'm beginning to feel the need to defend Valentine's Day! What could be wrong with a holiday in honor of romantic love itself? Everyone saying "I don't need a holiday to show my love" sounds a little, dare I say it, Scrooge-ish? :wink:

Seriously, though, I don't see Valentine's as more commercial than Christmas, at least as they are outside my front door. Is the animosity entirely the result of years spent without a Valentine, which just carries over even after you have one? I'm not much of a romantic myself, but on Valentine's Day I pull out a tragic romance or read a classic of literary love. We celebrate so many worse things inadvertently every day of the year, and love is so maligned these days with everyone too cool to "get carried away" with it.

My secret Valentine's Day vice? Watching the teen movie remake of "Taming of the Shrew" called "10 Things I Hate About You." Heath Ledger bribing the marching band to play "I Love You Baby" during his "sweetheart's" gym class and cavorting through the stands dodging the security was classic. Fool for love, right?

I don't mind Valentines Day at all and we do celebrate it. We just don't go overboard with celebrating it. My hubby and I were just saying we don't need that day to remind us about our love for each other. No problem in anyone who loves that day. cheesy You are right, it's about love and that's a good thing compared to some other things that are celebrated. cheesy

 

[Snow-in-Texas]

Ouch, I'm beginning to feel the need to defend Valentine's Day! What could be wrong with a holiday in honor of romantic love itself? Everyone saying "I don't need a holiday to show my love" sounds a little, dare I say it, Scrooge-ish? :wink:

Seriously, though, I don't see Valentine's as more commercial than Christmas, at least as they are outside my front door. Is the animosity entirely the result of years spent without a Valentine, which just carries over even after you have one? I'm not much of a romantic myself, but on Valentine's Day I pull out a tragic romance or read a classic of literary love. We celebrate so many worse things inadvertently every day of the year, and love is so maligned these days with everyone too cool to "get carried away" with it.

My secret Valentine's Day vice? Watching the teen movie remake of "Taming of the Shrew" called "10 Things I Hate About You." Heath Ledger bribing the marching band to play "I Love You Baby" during his "sweetheart's" gym class and cavorting through the stands dodging the security was classic. Fool for love, right?

Overall I don't have a problem with the concept of it. I just think it is something conjured up for the card companies and flower shops to make money. If that makes me "scroogish" in your opinion, that's fine, we are all entitled to our opinions.

 

[Christmas-A-Holic]

You know what? I really didn't answer the question on this thread. I obviously don't think Valentines Day is pointless if my husband and I do celebrate it. We just don't spend a lot of money to celebrate it. I am in agreement that we don't need to be reminded of loving one another once a year. It's a year round holiday! :mrgreen:

I guess I could agree with what's the point of Labor Day if EVERYONE doesn't get the day off? My husband and I are off work. Our business is closed but I do volunteer to come in and feed the animals on that day (only takes an hour). I think everyone should get Labor Day off! cheesy

 

[Maureen]

Britain doesn't have a Labour day!!!

 

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Britain doesn't have a Labour day!!!

Labor Day is the first Monday of September. This federal holiday honors the nation's working people, typically with parades. For most Americans it marks the end of the summer vacation season and the start of the school year.

It honors the nation's working people by making a lot of people work. Lol

 

[Maureen]

I thought the UK had the first Monday off in May. Is that not Labour Day? The Dutch changed it from 1 May to 30 April, birthday of former Queen Juliana.

Nope, not in Britain.

@ Christmas-A-Holic - thanks for the information!! I'm Canadian so know what it is from there but it's not something that Britain recognises, for some reason

 

[Sapsorrow]

Overall I don't have a problem with the concept of it. I just think it is something conjured up for the card companies and flower shops to make money. If that makes me "scroogish" in your opinion, that's fine, we are all entitled to our opinions.

The winkie was meant to indicate that I was being tongue-in-cheek, no offense intended.

As for the origins of Valentine's Day, I admit that I don't exactly believe the saint story (or I believe it the way that I believe the Santa Claus story, which is that I choose to believe it), but it seems a lot older than the Victorian cards and candy bash. All the same: I think Valentine's Day and Labor Day are tied for most pointless holiday!

 

[Snow-in-Texas]

The winkie was meant to indicate that I was being tongue-in-cheek, no offense intended.

No offense taken.cheesy

 

[xmas365]

In my opinion, I have a hard time saying there is a pointless holiday, the reason being each holiday has significant meaning for somebody. I think most of the problem lies with the commercialization of every possible holiday, whether it be the unfathomable markup for roses for Valentine's, car sales on President's Day
or furniture sales on Labor day. Even Thanksgiving is now falling in the same category with Black Friday, and our beloved Christmas we all know or even said ourselves it is getting too commercial. Everything nowadays is all about $$$.
Go back 25 or so years, and I remember everything being closed on Easter, now
those same places are open pushing their sales.
At one time each holiday was significant, we (society) have forgotten the meaning of a lot of things.

 

[JanaBanana]

To say that its for the card company to make money, then you would have to say that Mothers/Fathers day would be the same as well as many holidays. I really think people make too big a deal out a holiday and what it might stand for. So we have a holiday where couples have an excuse to have a romantic night out or get their loved one some pretty flowers or chocs. When I hear people bad mouthing a holiday it usually has me thinking that maybe their husband or wife doesnt do these things or they dont want to have to make this extra effort to tell them how much they mean to them. My mother in law is ALWAYS saying how Christmas is so "commercialized" and blah blah blah and I tell her, "Its only as commercialized as you make it!" It may be a big money maker for Hallmark and the candy companies, but really.. does it matter? I dont have a clue about the Saint history.. I just enjoy the holiday for what it is. ♥love♥

 

[JanaBanana]

And no, we really dont "need" a set day to show the ones we love that we love them.. my husband shows me in a million ways every day. he calls me 4-5 times a day {just because or surprises me with a gift here and there} that may be ONE of the reasons we have been married many more years then most now a days ... BUT this is just another way to say "hey, I love you"

 

[JanaBanana]

Oh and to this day, my oldest daughter has NO CLUE that it was me that was her "secret admirer" in 7th grade. She received a bunch of a balloons and a teddy bear from her "Secret Love"
She is now in the 11th grade in high school and still has no idea... so see.. this holiday can be very nice


{edited for typos}

 

[Snow-in-Texas]

Ok let me clue you in on my reason. For most of my adult life I was alone. I met my wife when I was 42, before then I never even got close to a long term relationship. And it wasn't for a lack of effort, I was asking girls out and going on dates, but I just could not seem to find the right one. So I gave up and started to think I was just meant to be alone.

But society doesn't like single people. Things like Vanletines day, TV, people I worked with and even my church at the time made me feel like a loser or I wasn't normal, just because I wasn't married or at least have a girlfriend. My church then always had functions and get togethers at people's houses, I was never included just because I wasn't married. They were always telling me I have to find someone, and start asking me why I don't have someone. One member even made a comment that I hated the idea of marriage, even as far as saying I don't like women.

I have also known men that would shower their wife with gifts on Valentines day, then later would find out they were cheating on her the whole time, and they ended up divorced. So showering each other with gifts doesn't prove anything either.

Now I am married, and I adore my wife more than anything else in the world. She is my entire world, nothing and nobody is more important to me. I am not rich by any means, I have a job that I drive a fork lift, it pays the bills, but that's about it. I don't have all that extra money to spend on flowers and surprise gifts all through the year. We do observe Valentines day, I will give her a card, and some inexpensive flowers. The day before also happens to be her birthday, so it is kind of a combined thing we do.

 

[made582]

I have to agree with april fools day.

 

[Sapsorrow]

Groundhog Day burns me up. All those groundhog cards! It's so commercialized these days. And it's so harsh if you don't have a groundhog of your own. I felt like I was the only kid in school without a groundhog. One year my Mom gave me a hamster, but it wasn't the same thing. And I knew it was my Mom that gave it to me, so it didn't count. Now that I have a groundhog of my own, I think I can show my appreciation and we can take note of their shadow ANY day of the year. We resent the social pressure to observe my groundhog's shadow on this one particular day. It's just an excuse to sell cards and movies. /joke

Come to think of it, Groundhog Day really IS a pretty pointless holiday, but considering it isn't that commercialized at all, I suppose it doesn't raise anyone's ire. For the record, I also LOVE Groundhog Day. In fact I think I enjoy it twice as much as Valentine's Day.

I guess the whole contention about Valentine's Day is that there just doesn't seem to be a way to express that it isn't your cup of tea without sounding bitter. After all, how can anyone object to love? But the more that I read about Valentine's Day, the more interesting I find it and the more dedicated I am to keeping it up at home. That said, I also love the fact that people have made their own "Festivus" style reactions to Valentine's Day.

So we love it and keep it, and other people don't. That's great! (I confess, I've been lax in keeping Guy Fawke's Day, so clearly not every holiday does it for me.)

 

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Oh and to this day, my oldest daughter has NO CLUE that it was me that was her "secret admirer" in 7th grade. She received a bunch of a balloons and a teddy bear from her "Secret Love"
She is now in the 11th grade in high school and still has no idea... so see.. this holiday can be very nice

That is a cute idea and sweet! I always gave my kids a little something every Valentines Day. Now I give my grandchildren stuff.

 

[Christmasstar]

Groundhog Day burns me up. All those groundhog cards! It's so commercialized these days. And it's so harsh if you don't have a groundhog of your own. I felt like I was the only kid in school without a groundhog.

 

[Christmasstar]

a holiday is what you make of it. If you don't like one then don't take part in it. If you do like it then celebrate with gusto!!!

I was thinking real hard about which one I think is pointless and could not think of a single one. I like anything that gives me an excuse to have fun, put up decorations, tell someone I love them etc etc etc

cheesycheesycheesy

 

[Blue Christmas]

As For Me and My House, I'm voting valentines day...

To me it's Valentines Day....why invent a holiday to beat a young girls ego down???? ( or anyone for that matter) In the workplace or school, roses are delivered, and if you are single then there are no roses for you!! Even in elementary school this happens!!! I have sent flowers to kids before just to make sure they could "fit in". I'll shut up now.

And as for we spouses of non-romantic spouses, it's the pits... Comparing your relationships to other romantic couples celebrations. I have tried planning a celebration, but there's no reciprocity - my hubby completely ignores the day, giving me (the hopefully false impression) that I don't matter...