The Valentine’s Day Hustle: Romance or Rip-Off
Growing up in Allahabad as a teen, I never heard of Valentine’s Day. Love, in those days, was a hushed affair—stolen glances, taking a girl out on your cycle and giving her ‘pani puri’, exchanged books, and the occasional brave soul daring to write a letter (only to have it intercepted by a nosy sibling). And yet today, February 14th has turned into an unstoppable carnival of grand gestures, red roses, and quite a few empty wallets- quite a circus indeed.
Some say it all began with the Roman festival of Lupercalia, later Christianized and linked to St. Valentine. Others insist Hallmark engineered the whole thing in an attempt to fleece people. Either way, the numbers are staggering—$25.9 billion spent globally in 2023, with over 145 million greeting cards exchanged. In India, the market now rakes in over ₹1,000 crore, proving that love is indeed a busy & booming business.
But let’s be honest, this day is becoming more stressful than romantic. Many sane men have started dreading it. It’s no longer about love, but about big spending—fancy gifts, overpriced dinners, and elaborate surprises. Forget at your peril! Even married men who should know better get trapped. And let’s not forget the worried dads, anxiously wondering what their daughters are up to. It’s also a day of proposals and promises and ironically heartbreaks too.
Beauty parlours do a roaring business as women rush for last-minute makeovers. And RED is everywhere —dresses, cards, hearts, roses, balloons, desserts, even special Valentine’s Day thalis!
And who exactly is celebrating? How young is too young, and how old is too old? Today, school kids exchange heart-shaped notes, teenagers navigate their first awkward dates, and even 80-year-olds hold hands at fancy restaurants. At what point do we retire from this festival? No one seems to know.
I joined the merry bandwagon for a few years, but the enthusiasm has waned with age – and I am not 80 yet!
Meanwhile, singles without dates either throw "lonely hearts" parties or just sit at home feeling miserable for their pathetic lonely lives. Some men form “bro squads,” while women have their own “Galentine’s” get-togethers.
One wonders—what’s next? National Proposal Day? Mandatory Date Night? The marketing machine never sleeps!
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