There has recently been a lot of talk about whether Valentine’s Day is overly commercialized. As more holidays approach, there is always a lot of holiday-themed merchandise in stores.
A commercialized holiday is one primarily about sales, profits, and marketing by businesses rather than what it was created for. During a commercialized holiday, you might be spending lots of money on specific food, decorations, or gifts, rather than focusing on family or faith. In American culture, we tend to put a strong emphasis on purchasing things during a holiday, almost centering the holiday around the purchase. Research has shown that ever since 2008, holiday spending has increased a little more every year. According to Crossed Sabres, they claim that “I should make it clear that I don’t think there is anything wrong with spending money on those you love; however, people should not be motivated by the holiday to do something nice.” So is a commercialized holiday a bad thing? Let’s hear some responses from FMS students to see what they think.
First, let’s start off by asking Claire Walsh, who is an FMS seventh grader.
Falcon Press: Do you think that commercialized holidays are bad?
Claire Walsh: Yes, I think that they are bad because they should be about the meaning behind the holiday.
FP: Do you think that Valentine’s Day is considered a commercialized holiday?
CW: Yes, I think so because every February you see so many decorations and merchandise in the stores in honor of the holiday.
Now let’s hear from Victoria Gil-Beltran, who is an FMS seventh grader as well.
Falcon Press: Describe Valentine’s Day in your own words.
Victoria Gil-Bertran: Valentine’s Day is a day where people you know express their care and their love for you, in their own way, and you can also do the same.
FP: What’s your favorite part about Valentine’s Day?
VGB: My favorite part about Valentine’s Day is probably eating candy and getting gifts.
Up next is Evelyn Ross, who is an FMS seventh grader.
Falcon Press: Do you think that Valentine’s Day is considered a commercialized holiday?
Evelyn Ross: I think that it is definitely a commercialized holiday.
FP: Do you think that commercialized holidays are bad?
ER: I feel like commercialized holidays are very fun. It is fun in all the stores with the festive decorations. You can also buy something special for some people in your life. So, I think that commercialized holidays aren’t bad.
Lastly, let’s hear from Lexi Gulish, who is an FMS seventh-grade student.
Falcon Press: Describe Valentine’s Day in your own words.
Lexi Gulish: Valentine’s Day is a holiday where people give gifts to each other to show their love.
FP: What’s your favorite part about Valentine’s Day?
LG: I like the pink and red colors.
After hearing various responses from FMS students, we can see that Valentine’s Day is a commercialized holiday, which doesn’t necessarily mean that it is bad; it depends on your perspective. For example, one student expressed that with the gifts and presents, it gets you in the spirit and is a way to show your respect towards someone. However, another student noted that holidays should be about the meanings and not about gifts. Personally, I agree with the second response more because I feel that we should celebrate the holiday for its meaning; however, without the decorations, the holiday would not be as fun and uplifting. With this information given by students, we can infer that students love Valentine’s Day because of how fun it is and how sweet it is to express their feelings for one another.
Hopefully, this clears up the sides of this debate. I hope this makes you form your own opinion on this topic, as well as thinking about what you would say if you were asked these questions, consider whether you agree or disagree with the student responses. So, are you going to purchase lots of Valentine’s Day merchandise for your loved ones this holiday? Or are you going to spend the time with your loved ones and appreciate how much they do for you? In the end, the holiday is about being around your loved ones and appreciating them.
Work Cited
Jude Heatley, Staff Reporter. “Why are holidays so commercialized?” Crossed Sabres, 13 February 2021, https://www.crossedsabres.org/top-stories/2021/02/13/why-are-holidays-so-commercialized/.
Photo:https://thenavigatornews.com/10967/opinion/has-valentines-day-become-too-commercialized/2024/#
