Torrasque:
If you are throwing gifts at someone because of a calendar event, then you are not doing it because you love them, you are doing it to satisfy your own lustful urges, to satisfy the opinions of others around you who may judge you.

I guess you'll not be participating in Christmas then either? My two cents: get over yourself. Like so many people here are quick to say whenever games/films/books are debated, your opinion is your own. If you don't like it good for you, sit it out, don't participate. However so people do want to and that's their choice too.

Nothing wrong with gift giving, if there's a specific day to facilitate it then why not? Plus you don't need to give physical items that cost money or anything, something heartfelt and out of the ordinary that you know your significant other will appreciate also works.

It's a day for everyone to pretty much coordinate dates with their significant other, and everyone knows not to try to hang out with any friends in a relationship so that they and their SO can have that day just to spend with each other.

You know, I was single for this one, but instead of wallowing in self-pity because of that, I got my crush a nice gift. No one could judge me for not getting her something, and I'd be an idiot to expect sex from a girl I'm not even dating, but I chose a culturally significant day to begin to express my affection for her. Now, I'll ask her out on a proper date instead of just to hang out, and see how that goes. If society wants to say this day's special for some reason, I'll use it to my advantage when I finally make a move.

I just wish I hadn't worked that afternoon, or else I would've asked her on a date then, but I figured I'd use the day to at least get the ball rolling.

DarkRyter:
I hate Valentines Day because it really has nothing to do with how St.Valentine drove the snakes out of Ireland.

You, DarkRyter, run for something now. I want to vote for you.

OP - Re-read what many of those in relationships said here - it's not the gifts so much as the act of giving. If done right, it's not about money or food or flowers, it's about appreciating someone. When I was coupled our best Valentine's Days were when we stayed home, made dinner together, watched tv or a movie and smooched (he didn't play video games). I think what you're reacting to is the hype like is done for every other holiday.

General BrEeZy:
I don't hate Valentines day. but me making out with the coolest person i've ever met, and her getting accepted to a school in Hawaii, thus taking her and the chance of a relationship away really, REALLY, REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY DEPRESSES ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ugh. sorry, needed to vent....

I don't blame the day though, I blame Hawaii lol
To the OP:
I understand and acknowledge most of your views. Lets live better and Love 24/7, how about that???
Peace out, Home-Skillet!

You are by far the most upbeat depressed person ever, haha, how do you do it?

Nope, romantic obligation day has no place in my household.

I've been in a committed relationship going on 12 years now and have never celebrated it.

I tell her I love her on a daily basis. I make time to sit and talk and spend time together when I can. I buy her gifts on a whim and all the various other things that I'm suddenly obligated to do on Valentine's Day.

I feel it trivializes the honest attempts that most people make all year to show their love and affection for their respective loved ones.

More to the point I hate the competitive nature of the after holiday.

Girl #1's significant other took her out to dinner, bought her roses AND bought her a pair of earrings?

Girl #2 got her favorite candies and a carriage ride in the park.

Sorry Girl #2 your current romantic partner is clearly an unromantic fuckhead who doesn't love you very much.

What's wrong with using it as an excuse to have fun? Sure you can do it any day, but you can also give someone a present any day and not just on Christmas or their birthday. If you think having fun for funs sake is stupid, well I can only feel pity. I'm single and I enjoy valentines day because it gives me an excuse to make a shitton of sweets and enjoy them on /a/ I mean and eat them alone in my room while crying wait... yeah I can't say anything that will make me feel less pathetic. _{And I still had fun.}

DarkRyter:
I hate Valentines Day because it really has nothing to do with how St.Valentine drove the snakes out of Ireland.

Pretty sure that was St. Patrick.

OT: I had a girlfriend for the first time in recent memory and it was a lot of fun coming up with things to do and surprise her with.

Torrasque:
-snip-

I don't see how that same argument you made can't be applied to ANY holiday- I mean, why give presents on Christmas when you can do it any day? The point being that's what makes that day special, a... holiday, as some people call it.

If you disagree with the idea of said holiday, well, you don't have to celebrate it or what have you, but you really shouldn't denounce everyone else that does for the reasons that they do. I mean, I don't celebrate Kwanzaa (born and raised Catholic), but you don't see me trolling around the internet against anyone that does celebrate it- it's not a holiday meant for me, so I'll let the people that it's meant for celebrate it.

Torrasque:
Valentines DOES hurt some people though. Many single people spend Valentines day blaming themselves for being single or feeling sorry for themselves.
You said you can show the same love and affection any day you want, but what about the people who can't? On a day where everyone is expected to express their love for someone else, not having that special someone can be very depressing. It is completely retarded for someone to be upset by such a stupid day.

I said nothing, you said it yourself. If you see it as such a stupid day and you are getting upset...

And besides, on all the Valentine's before the one where I had a girlfriend, I still just enjoyed the general atmosphere and diversion from the normal boringness. I told the girl's I had something for on those that well... I had something for them. Even if I knew they had no interest in me, hell it might make THEIR day.
If it really hits you that hard that you are not with someone, then make an effort or try and enjoy some other aspect of life. Your reaction is actually a bit sad.

Rylot:

DarkRyter:
I hate Valentines Day because it really has nothing to do with how St.Valentine drove the snakes out of Ireland.

Pretty sure that was St. Patrick.

That's just propaganda pushed by the hallmark corporation.

The Bible's very clear on this.

"St Valentine packed all the snakes in a car and drove them to the European mainland where they evolved into the French."
Matthew 28:19

DarkRyter:

Rylot:

DarkRyter:
I hate Valentines Day because it really has nothing to do with how St.Valentine drove the snakes out of Ireland.

Pretty sure that was St. Patrick.

That's just propaganda pushed by the hallmark corporation.

The Bible's very clear on this.

"St Valentine packed all the snakes in a car and drove them to the European mainland where they evolved into the French."
Matthew 28:19

I kinda want to be annoyed by how wrong your post is but I'm too busy watching a disgruntled old man in a robe driving a car full of snakes in my head. Some of the snakes are wearing berets and smoking. Well played.

Shawn MacDonald:
It is pointles and just an excuse to buy females more shit. It is funny how women have their birthday, Valentines Day, Mother's Day, Christmas, Buy me a fucking gift day because I am mad at you. Then one female will tell me that she is not like that at all, well whoopie fucking do da for you, have a cookie.

Yes, and men have their birthday, Valentines day, father's day and Christmas. Your point? I mean other than 'BITCHES BE HOES'.

Mad Sun:
What I hate about Valentine's Day is that more people commit suicide on that day than any other of the year. Pretty certain that that can't be a coincidence.

Any statistics to back it up? I tried googling and found that the most likely day for a suicide is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Monday. All of them, apparently, and those (conflicting) claims were made just by the the top four results (one didn't really have relevant information).

You know, this has got to be the third holiday that I've seen get rained on as stupid, and I have to say this, the Cynical levels of the internet are OVER 9000! Lighten up man, yes it's stupid, but you know what else is stupid? Video games, birthdays, sports, junk food, sex and pretty much 90% of what Human Beings do. We find pleasure in these stupid things and you can't rip on one stupid thing without ripping everything else in life. Lighten up, there's a difference between being cynical and being wise.

Also SmashLovesTitanQuest...WTH

A day is what you make of it.
The Valentine's Day just gone me and my girlfriend went to see The Phantom Menace in 3D then went out for ribs, because that's how we roll.
The cost was split evenly too so the sex later on was not the result of bribery from either party.
Valentines Day is HARDLY the only day of the year we go out together or get up to various romantic antics, but so long as there's a date marked off for that sort of thing, may as well go with it.
As for the "it upsets single people" argument postulated a few posts down,that's not really Valentines Day's fault. No aspect of Valentine's Day or any marketing and merchandising around it is spent trying to shame single people or portray being single as a bad thing. Single people of a certain personality type seem determined to get themselves in a tizz about it all by themselves.

Torrasque:
While you are reading this, you can stop whenever you want and just assume "OP is just bitter and doesn't like anyone", not only will it save us both breath, but it is silightly true. Yes I know Valentines day has come and passed, but just because it won't happen for a full year now, doesn't make this rant less relevant. If anything, the fact that Valentines day will happen again makes this rant even more relevant.

I thought at the beginning of my rant, that I would analyze what Valentines day started as, what it is supposed to be, and how it is not that anymore, but I figure that it is irrelevant for the sake of my rant. Like Christmas and Easter, Valentines day probably started as some kind of important holiday with a real purpose, but that purpose has been lost/changed over time and people think what they want; kind of how St. Paddy's day is now "International drink a lot of beer" day.

So, ignoring the fact that St. Valentines day used to be something else, Valentines day is now what it is: stupid.
Why is Valentines day stupid you ask? Well lets assume the point of Valentines day is to express your undying love of someone (parent, relative, lover, co-worker, pet, tree, etc.). Assuming this, you can also ask "well why can't you do that any day of the year? Why do you have to do that on a certain day?" and you can, hell I'd say people should do that more often. A proponent of Valentines day might counter with "well on Valentines day you can show your affection even more so than any other day", which is utter shit. 

Anyone can say whatever they want to anyone regarding any subject, at any time (I hate genealizations but this one I whole-heartedly support). Valentines is only special because people make it special, and even that is stupid. I say "stupid" because that is the only word I can think fits right now. On Valentines day, people shower each other with gifts and stuff to earn their affection, as if their personalities and feelings were not enough. Nothing says "I love you" like throwing money at someone! This action of "showing your affection" is completely selfish because it is giving someone something and expecting something in return (which is usually sex). Now if you've ever read any kind of mushy love poem or story, you should know that love is supposed to be selfless; your parents selflessly love you, and any true friend selflessly loves you. If you are throwing gifts at someone because of a calendar event, then you are not doing it because you love them, you are doing it to satisfy your own lustful urges, to satisfy the opinions of others around you who may judge you.

So there you have it. Valentines day is the most pointless day of the year because it corrupts it's intended objective just by being what it is.

If any of you disagree with any/all of my points, please say so. I'd love to hear what your position is on this.

A lot of single people go to clubs, pubs and other places on Valentine's Day in search for potential partners so it's easier to get a date on that day.

Funny, I hate Valentine's day not for the fact that it is petty over consumer-based crap that also reinforces that romantic escapades are only for a special one day occasion like how earth day makes people not eco friendly because they think you only do it on earth day.

I hate it because it's two days after my birthday and nobody remembers it because it is so insignificant in the presence of Valentine's.

Y'know what I hate about Valentine's Day (and I'm sure someone else has already said)

People who won't stop talking about it so angrily. If you don't want to celebrate it, then fine. Just ignore it, and leave people who want to celebrate it alone (and just in case you're wondering, I don't celebrate it)

I don't celebrate Valentine's Day for the exact same reason I don't celebrate Hanukkah or Canadian Thanksgiving: Because I am not the targeted clientele for that day. I'm not Jewish, I'm not Canadian, and I'm not in a relationship.

Torrasque:

So, ignoring the fact that St. Valentines day used to be something else, Valentines day is now what it is: stupid.

I don't think we should ignore that seeing as how the same thing can be said about almost every holiday. Christmas wasn't always what it is today, neither was Halloween or even President's Day.

I don't disagree with your point about Valentine's Day being special because people make it special, but again, I think the same can be said about most holidays.

To me, the people who want to use Valentine's day as an excuse to do something nice for their love interest is no different than the people that want to use Christmas as an excuse to buy presents for people, or people who use Thanksgiving as an excuse to cook a feast.

I could just go get Taco Bell on Thanksgiving, but I don't.

And here's the thing, the excuses aren't always a bad thing. How many people use the "Christmas Season" as an excuse to do something charitable that most don't do during the year?

I know this may seem slightly hypocritical after this rant (which admittedly went on much longer than intended) but seriously. Either ignore the day, or celebrate it. Trying to wage war on it isn't helping anyone, not even yourself.

I spent Valentine's day drawing comics and studying for a Spanish quiz.

Shotgun Guy:

General BrEeZy:
I don't hate Valentines day. but me making out with the coolest person i've ever met, and her getting accepted to a school in Hawaii, thus taking her and the chance of a relationship away really, REALLY, REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY DEPRESSES ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ugh. sorry, needed to vent....

I don't blame the day though, I blame Hawaii lol
To the OP:
I understand and acknowledge most of your views. Lets live better and Love 24/7, how about that???
Peace out, Home-Skillet!

You are by far the most upbeat depressed person ever, haha, how do you do it?

its bloody hard, but i just hang in there...believe in a better future. there are other people to make out with and enjoy the company of! xD

My wife and I don't do Valentine's Day. It's an obnoxious "holiday" that is as commercialised as possible. The whole Holiday Machine is based around the idea that you have to spend money or otherwise do special things on a certain day, or you don't love your partner.

Bullshit.

Firstly, there is nothing remotely romantic about irresponsibly spending money on something you neither need, nor can afford.

Secondly, and probably more importantly.. if you need a special day to tell your partner you love them, and if they won't believe you unless you do something memorable and expensive.. there is something fundamentally wrong with your relationship.