Making Valentine's Day Last the Whole Year
Valentine’s Day Is Big Business
- An estimated 1 billion valentine cards are sent each year
- Approximately 85 percent of all cards are purchased by women
- More than $1 billion is spent each year on candy
- A whopping 103 million roses were sold on Valentine’s Day last year
February 2004 — Nothing says Valentine's Day like a big, beautiful card covered with hearts. Whether it’s from a classmate, your mom or your significant other, February 14th wouldn’t be the same without it. And we can’t help but look forward to it.
For many, Valentine’s Day is a holiday charged with all kinds of expectations and hopes. How many valentines will I get in school? Will there be a ring in my champagne? What is an appropriate gift for this stage in our relationship? But celebrating love (or even “like”) doesn’t have to be stressful. It’s all in how you approach it.
A New Approach
One small shift in perception can help you make this Valentine’s Day a most memorable occasion — for you and those you love. By making the decision to be aware of what others do for you, you can focus more on what you can give back than on what you might receive.
Take some time to reflect on the special people in your life who make you feel good about yourself, who believe in you, who, when you have forgotten the song of your soul, can still sing the tune. Valentine’s Day is the perfect reminder to show others that we recognize and value them. Make this an opportunity to show your appreciation by choosing personal and heartfelt gifts that reflect how well you know them.
And it doesn’t have to stop there. “Although Valentine’s Day represents an official day of appreciation and love, such expressions, like cards, gifts, candy and flowers, should be presented to loved ones throughout the year as well,” says Judith Marquit, PsyD, clinical psychologist on the staff at Memorial Regional Hospital, Memorial Hospital West and Memorial Hospital Pembroke.
Everyday Valentines
Rather than packing your love and heartfelt sentiments into a single Valentine’s Day, you can show your love each and every day of the year. If you see a small trinket you know your wife would adore, don’t wait for a holiday to buy it for her – surprise her with it when she gets home. Or, send flowers to your significant other at work. Better yet, give tokens of love and appreciation that don’t cost a dime, but mean so much more because of the time and thought that go into them. You can put a love note in his briefcase, take long walks holding hands, write a poem or cook her favorite meal. And don’t stop with your spouse or significant other. Spend special time with your children, your friends and your parents. Remember to tell them you love them.
Valentine’s Day isn’t the only day you can show your love. It’s a reminder of why it’s so important.