Why Valentine’s Day is a Toxic Lie: Reason Revealed Now

Why Valentine’s Day is a Toxic Lie

To begin with, Valentine’s Day is sold as a celebration of love, but is it? In 2023, Americans spent $25.9 billion on this single day, proving that love now comes with a hefty price tag. In Nigeria, despite economic challenges, 85.6% of people planned to celebrate in 2024, with nearly 5% spending over ₦500,000 on gifts and outings (Business Day). The pressure to buy expensive gifts, plan grand gestures, and meet unrealistic expectations during Valentin’s day often leads to financial strain, disappointment, and even breakups.

The Commercialisation of Love on Valentine’s Day

Moreover, here’s the truth: Valentine’s Day is a marketing scheme, engineered to make you spend, stress, and conform to an idealised version of love. Brands capitalise on emotional manipulation, convincing you that the depth of your love is measured by how much you spend. Is Valentine’s Day still about love, or just a commercial trap?

My People, No Be Scam Be This? How Valentine’s Day Dey Use Your Head

Wahala be like Valentine’s gift—e no dey finish! Did you know that 85% of Valentine’s gifts are bought by men? Meanwhile, the greeting card industry alone makes over $1 billion just from this celebration (National Retail Federation). Ṣé ifẹ́ ní yìí abi kó ṣọ wá jẹ? (Is this love or are we just being played?)

Brands have perfected the art of manipulation, using flashy ads to make us feel inferior if we don’t participate. From pricey dinners to overpriced gifts, the entire holiday feels like a well-oiled machine aimed at draining your wallet. But here’s the kicker—love isn’t about spending. It’s a verb, not a transaction.

The History They Won’t Tell You About Valentine

What if I told you that Valentine’s Day, a day now filled with chocolates and flowers, actually has a deeper history? The origins of Valentine’s Day date back to Saint Valentine, a priest in Roman times who secretly married couples to protect them from being separated by Emperor Claudius II’s military campaigns. This act of kindness eventually led to the establishment of February 14 as a day to celebrate love. Over time, the focus shifted towards commercialisation, overshadowing the day’s true meaning.

However, as the Igbo saying goes, “Ìhè na-enwu n’anya, ọ bụghị n’efu”—love shines in the eyes, not in the purse. So, this Valentine’s Day, let’s return to its essence: celebrating love through meaningful connections, not extravagant gifts. After all, the best expression of love is a genuine shared smile.

Single? You’re the Real Target

Here’s a riddle for you: What makes you feel lonely but is also a goldmine for brands? If you guessed being single, you’re absolutely right! Every February, dating apps see a 25% spike, leveraging the fear of missing out (FOMO) to turn loneliness into a profitable opportunity. The Self-Love Industry jumps on the bandwagon too, with influencers promoting pricey “treat yourself” gifts, making singles feel pressured to splurge in the name of self-worth.

Brands have mastered the art of exploiting single people’s insecurities, convincing them they need to buy their way to happiness. But here’s the puzzle: If love is priceless, why do brands make us pay for it?

What Real Love Looks Like Without Valentine

In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116, Let me not to the marriage of true minds, he writes:

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.”

These powerful lines affirm that love is steadfast and unyielding, unwavering even in the face of change.

In the same spirit, John Keats, another poet known for his passionate writing, once said: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” This speaks to the timelessness of love, much like the love Shakespeare describes.

True love, as both Shakespeare and Keats suggest, isn’t dependent on grand gestures or specific days. It’s in the quiet moments, in the little acts that speak louder than words.

Let love guide you in all things, in every gesture, for as Maya Angelou beautifully said, “Love recognizes no barriers.” So, let love be your constant companion, free and unconditional, in all things big and small.

And as Shakespeare so eloquently concludes in his Sonnet 116:

“Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.”

These words remind us that true love is not bound by time or circumstance. It endures, unwavering and eternal, proving its strength even in the face of life’s greatest challenges. Love, in its purest form, is the one thing that transcends all.

Skip the commercialised rush and create your celebration of love. True affection doesn’t need a marketing team to flourish—it’s personal and genuine.

As Maya Angelou beautifully put it, “Love recognises no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” And John Keats reminds us that “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”

So, take a step back this February, celebrate love on your own terms, and share this message—true love doesn’t need to be boxed into one day.

FAQ Section (Google Snippets)

Q1: Is Valentine’s Day a scam?
A: While not a scam, it’s a highly commercialised holiday that pressures people into spending for love.

Q2: Why do people feel pressured on Valentine’s Day?
A: Society and marketing tactics create unrealistic expectations that love must be proven with expensive gifts.

Q3: How can I celebrate love without falling for the commercial trap?
A: Focus on genuine acts of kindness, everyday moments, and real emotional connections, rather than costly gifts.

Q4: What is the real history of Valentine’s Day?
A: It started with Saint Valentine, a Roman priest who secretly married couples, but over time, became heavily commercialised.

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Article written by Rhoda Erhabor

Edited by Patience Ubi

Proofread by Rhoda Erhabor

Published by Roseflower Editorial

Featured Graphic Designed by Seye Somefun