Teen Talk
Roses are Red, Money is Green
By Stephanie Courtois
Be mine. Do you like me? Circle yes or no. Will you be my Valentine? These are a couple of the numerous phrases expressed on Valentine’s Day in a typical Kindergarten class. As the years go by, the fourteenth of February is more than just a day of exchanging cards and candies; it is a symbol of romance and courtship.
Despised by some and embraced by others, this day has been around for over a thousand years. It all began from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a fertility celebration that used to be observed annually on February 15. Pope Gelasius turned this festival into a Christian feast day and set it back a day earlier to February 14. The feast honored Saint Valentine who was martyred along with two other priests on that day. This is the point where the factual story ends and where so many legends have incorporated their own ending to the tale.
Couples take advantage of this day to rekindle their love and to be alone with each other rather than a day to commemorate the saint. Florists and card companies take advantage of this day for colossal profits. For teenagers, feelings toward this holiday are definitely mixed. Companies know how to target teens to buy the traditional Valentine’s package. Teens are forced to purchase gifts for their significant other in order to keep them satisfied. It is considered unacceptable if there is no exchanging of gifts in today’s culture.
More than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold for Valentine’s Day each year. About 110 million roses are sold and delivered within a three-day time period. There are no such things as spontaneous gifts on Valentine’s Day, it is simply expected. Society pressures us to buy expensive jewelry and chocolates because it’s the only way companies see fit for showing affection. The way to truly say “I love you” is by being thoughtful every day, not just one chosen day out of the year. A dozen roses on a sunny day in March are much more meaningful than the when they are bought on the fourteenth of February.
Unconditional love happens all year round, 24/7, for better or worse and in sickness and in health. One day a year cannot portray the love one feels for a lifetime’s worth of sentiment.
Stephanie Courtois is a junior at Wellington High School. She is involved in tae kwon do, French, National and Chemistry Honor Societies, and is the news editor for the school newspaper. She loves journalism and aspires to work for a magazine someday.
Members and guests will enjoy a buffet dinner and a presentation by Ingrid Webster, president of Palm Beach Pearl Company. Ingrid will share her extensive knowledge of pearls with us and tell us about the Love & Peace Project as well as the Neverending Necklace.
