Happy Valentine’s Day from Jewrotica!

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Question #3: Valentine’s Day: The Height of Romance or Commercially-Driven Disappointment?

Ayo Headshot UpdatedAyo: To me, Valentine’s Day is neither. I never celebrated the holiday, so I certainly don’t relate to it as the height of romance. And besides, wouldn’t the fact that romance is expected on Valentine’s Day make it a bit less exciting and authentic? So, it’s not a big holiday for me. But I’ve always been pretty cheery and optimistic, so I’m not going to rain on anyone else’s parade. For those V-Day lovers out there, enjoy, feel the love and try to savor those twenty four hours by remembering to be present!


Tamar FoxTamar: Commercially-Driven Disappointment, for sure. It seems like mostly a way to make single people feel bad about themselves, which is horrifying.







Larisa B.Larisa: Commercially-driven disappointment! I’m a foreigner and when I came here I realized just how greedy and profit driven the Hallmark industry was. February didn’t have a gift giving holiday so they created one. Same goes for Mother’s day and Father’s day. I never understood why anyone would think it’s okay to celebrate love, mother or father on only one day a year. Shouldn’t significant others be honored every day? Shouldn’t true love mean sweet surprises just because? Our culture lost it’s creativity. And Hallmark was there to write a guidebook to stomp out any thoughtful ideas. Valentine’s Day = dislike.


LimorLimor: Definitely commercial-driven. Romance should always be a relationship’s coup de fesse.







Leora-Flax-PhotoLeora: Valentine’s Day is the height of Commercially-Driven Disappointment. I read that the week before VDay has become International Dump Week, filled with people who would rather get rid of their SO (significant other) than deal with buying a meaningless present. Any holiday that has women sending themselves flowers at their offices to avoid shame is fundamentally fucked-up. I find that the challenge becomes to take the red-and-pink-tinged fakeness and turn it into a sweet, memorable day for you and your loved one.


Karalyn DaneKaralyn: I think that for some people it has a lot of meaning. Perhaps it’s the only time all year that their partner stops to make an effort to let their love know how they feel. I think it is what you make of it. If you’re the type of person who shows the one you’re with how much you love them all year, all the time, then it’s not really so important. If it’s the one time a year that you actually make an effort, then you’d better make it count.


team_davidDavid: You shouldn’t need a special holiday to remind you to do something that you should be doing anyway. Successful relationships are hard to maintain and you need to be thoughtful and caring and romantic as much as possible. The fact that “industry” has artificially sanctified one day out of the year as dedicated to lavish gift giving and romance makes it that much less romantic. And what the fuck! I’m Jewish! I don’t celebrate anything that is dedicated to or named after a Christian Saint. But then try telling that to your girlfriend. Sigh.


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Founder and editor of Jewrotica, Ayo spent the past two years full-time RVing North America with her Jewish educational film program. Ayo alternates between intensely pursuing fun new experiences and equally intensely trying to do good by people. She would love to hear from you.