Unless you have been on a remote island for the past few weeks, you will be keenly aware that tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. There is no escaping the occasion, which has a very tenuous link with the third-century Christian martyr Valentinius. His history is a bit clouded, so much so that the Roman Catholic Church removed his feast day from its general calendar in 1969.
But by then February 14 had already become a secular celebration. Lovers were exchanging gifts and would-be lovers wooing the object of their affection. Mostly, of course, it had become a cash cow for florists and the manufacturers of greeting cards and fine chocolates. Perhaps it’s time to rethink the tendency to equate extravagant expenditure with true romance. The UAE Marriage Fund is encouraging group weddings so that people don’t get into debt by splurging on big fat nuptials. So too Valentine’s Day. A loving relationship needs more tender care than one day will ever afford.
