A popular North American tradition, February 14th is theoretically a day for lovers. But let’s be honest: for a lot of people, it’s mostly a day filled with subtle pressure, commercial obligations, and a total lack of inspiration.
Whether you love the romance or dread the red-and-pink displays taking over store aisles by mid-January, Valentine’s Day raises some fascinating questions about how we express affection—and why we feel so compelled to do it on a specific Thursday in February.
Where Did It Even Come From?
Before the heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and marked-up red roses, Valentine’s Day had much darker, messier origins. Ancient Roman rituals (like Lupercalia) involved fertility rites that were anything but romantic. Later, the Catholic Church canonized St. Valentine—or possibly several martyrs by that name—and over the centuries, writers like Chaucer romanticized the holiday into a celebration of courtly love with notes and little attentions. Fast-forward to the 19th century, and industrial printing turned handmade love notes into a booming commercial machine.
The Cost of Commercial Romance
Today, Valentine’s Day is big business. Between dinner, inflated flower prices, cards, and jewelry, billions of dollars are spent globally each year. But as living costs rise, many people are asking: Is this money well spent?
Couples vs. Singles: The Double Pressure
- For couples: There’s often unspoken pressure to perform. Did you book a table three weeks in advance? Is the gift thoughtful enough? Does the evening live up to movie standards?
- For single people: The culture often frames February 14th as a day of exclusion—leading to counter-traditions like “Galentine’s Day,” “Single Awareness Day,” or simply treating it like any other day of the week.
Whatever your take, Valentine’s Day is a fantastic launchpad for ESL conversation because everyone has an opinion about it!
Warm Up
- Do you have Valentine’s Day, or the equivalent in your culture?
- How is romance or affection typically expressed in your home country?
Activity 1: How the Animal Kingdom Does Courtship (focus on action verbs)
- Describe the bird’s actions step-by-step
- What are some of the “messages” this bird is trying to send?
Activity 2: just for fun…
- Note what happens in the video using descriptive action verbs.
- How would you describe the “vibe” of this video?
Activity 3: Forbes on the expense associated to Valentine’s Day
- Summarize the main points of this article
- Why do the costs of Valentine’s Day continue to rise?
- What are some of the alternatives to spending money?
Ahh…L’amour
