While some may celebrate the illustrious Galentines day on Feb. 13, so as to leave the 14th for the True Romantics, I have always been of the opinion that stealing things from romance is the Right Thing To Do, so I celebrate Galentines day on Feb. 14 every year. I make cards for my friends, usually containing some terrible joke or pun, and I send them out, calling them Galentines or Palentines (for people who are not Gals).
Some people get oddly offended by this practice, as if my celebration of platonic love somehow diminishes their celebration of romantic love. To them I have this to say: if my crappy cards made in MS Paint somehow threaten your idea of romance, you might want to get that checked.
By now everyone knows that Valentine’s Day is a commercial holiday created by card companies to sell merchandise and drive profits (if you didn’t know that, sorry to burst your bubble), so I don’t get the big hang-ups about it. One million Hollywood movies, one thousand TV episodes, and countless novels are devoted to this strange phenomenon—and that’s just not enough. We have to deal with it in our real lives too. February rolls around, and while I’m wishing for spring and maybe a nap, everyone around me is going crazy—dates, cards, chocolates, gifts. Suddenly everyone wants to know whether this gift is too small or too big in relation to the length of their relationship. Restaurants are booked, romantic days planned, money spent, and then the next day, what?
Everyone stops loving each other suddenly? Not usually. Romance takes over the world? It kind of already has. Chocolate goes on sale? Yes, it does, and I am not going to complain about that one. But it seems like a lot of buildup.
Couples have anniversaries already, don’t they? A special day just for them to celebrate their eternal love, or something to that effect. Why do we need another day?
The value on romantic love in this society is a bit ridiculous, and anyone who has a read a YA novel, or consumed literally any mass media ever, can’t argue with that.
I love my friends. They’re very important people in my life. So I’m going to spend Valentine’s Day celebrating the fact that they’ve always got my back, and that’s not likely to change. And hey, if other people want to celebrate their romantic love, I’m not going to stand in your way. But maybe tone it down a little?
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