The importance of Valentine’s Day lies in the idea that it celebrates the love. It is a day of romance and for forming relationships. Legend has it that in 269 A.D., the Roman Emperor Claudius abolished the system of marriage, as he felt married men made mad soldiers. A priest named St. Valentine helped young lovers get married, and for this, he was executed and was seen as a martyr for love.

A very exciting part of Valentine’s Day is the celebration. Cosmopolitan stated that 62% of couples will celebrate on this day. Whether you choose to keep it casual or not, we all love to celebrate love with our significant other on Valentine’s Day...right?

There seems to be a growing debate on the topic of celebrating Valentine’s Day. Aliye Genckurt, a local who lives in Wimbledon, says: “Love isn’t something based on time. It should not be based on a day where people are asked to buy things and do things to ‘prove their love’.”

Karl Owen, who’s another local, argued by saying that:” We buy things for those we love on Valentine’s Day as a way of showing our appreciation for that person, not because we feel that we have to prove anything.”

It is also important to acknowledge that those who are single may feel that February the 14th can be a day filled with loneliness and embarrassment. So perhaps the way we celebrate this day is completely wrong as our culture seems to put emphasis on the romanticised aspect of love. This then excludes the idea of celebrating with our friends and families and suggesting Valentine’s Day is a celebration for romantic love. 

Sabrina Court, Ursuline Sixth Form