Will you be my Valentine?

The English version of the article is in the continuation of the Romanian version.

"To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes,
And dupp'd the chamber-door;
Let in the maid, that out a maid
Never departed more."

 W. Shakespeare, Hamlet 

Uite ca a mai trecut un an si ne regasim din nou in intampinarea controversatei zilei de Sf. Valentin. Zic controversata pentru ca sunt atat de multe guri ce critica acest trend al romanului de a sarbatori ziua de 14 februarie, atat de multe critici aduse consumerismului ce se invarte in jurul acesteia si atat de multa indoiala cu privire la autenticitatea ei. Din punct de vedere cultural, nu ma opun sarbatoririi acestei zile pentru ca, in primul rand, noi romanii, nici nu ne tinem de traditiile Romaniei. Pentru ce avem ziua de Dragobete daca nimeni nu o sarbatoreste? Si mai mult decat atat, de ce nu as sarbatori dragostea in mod oficial mai mult de o data pe an? Din partea mea, sa fie si Dragobete, si Sf Valentin si inca vreo 3 sarbatori ale iubirii intr-un an. Cu cat mai multe cu atat mai bine. Vreau iubirea sa fie celebrata, fara numar.

Mai mult decat atat, pentru foarte mult timp am trait sub falsa impresie ca oferitul de flori, ciocolata si felicitari de Sf. Valentin este o stupida inventie a culturii vestice, si mai ales a Statelor Unite ale Americii, pentru a stimula cheltuitul banilor si a aduce profit companiilor ce mizeaza pe idealismul indragostitului de zi cu zi. Insa m-am inselat. Ziua de Sf Valentin a fost sarbatorita in Europa inca din secolul 15 prin daruirea de cadouri intre indragostiti, mai ales flori, felicitari personalizate si alimente cu inalt continut de zahar. Felicitarea de mai jos, spre exemplu, este din anul 1909. In definitiv, Sf. Valentin ramane o sarbatoare ce a existat in sanul culturii si civilizatiei europene de secole, doar faptul ca observam si constientizam ziua asta, e dovada ca putem rezona cu bogata cultura a vechiului nostru continent. Iar cei ce se vor "sceptici" nu fac altceva decat sa se ascunda si mai mult sub cochilia ignorantei si a nepasarii.

Si ca sa nu ma lungesc prea mult, spun de ce nu? De ce nu as sarbatori dragostea, fie ca este pe 14 Februarie, pe 24 Februarie sau in orice alta zi a anului? Chiar si pentru cei mai "drepti" din turma, spun, nu o sa ne aduca la faliment o floare si o ciocolata, si nici vanzatorul din coltul strazii nu isi va trimite copilul la universitate pe banii cheltuiti pe un fir de trandafir. Remember, ziua de Sf. Valentin nu te va adanci in saracie, dar nici nu va favoriza aparitia vreunui Cupidon gras ce arunca cu sageti pasionale spre obiectul iubirii tale secrete . Asa ca, va spun voua, Happy Valentine's Day! Si la mai mare!

So another year has passed and we find ourselves welcoming the controversial day of St Valentine.  I call it controversial because there are so many mouths that criticize this trend of Romanian people of celebrating the day of 14^th of February, there are so many doubts regarding the consumerist phenomena which revolves around it, and so much suspicion towards the authenticity of this celebrating day. From a cultural point of view, I do not oppose this day because, first of all, we Romanians don’t even celebrate and cherish our traditional holidays. What for we have the day of Dragobete if we don’t celebrate it? And more than that, why wouldn’t I celebrate love more than once a year (officially or not)? From where I stand, let there be Dragobete, Valentine’s Day and another 3 more days in the calendar celebrating love.

For the longest time I lived under the impression that the offering of flowers, chocolates and cards for Valentine’s day was the stupid creation of western culture and of The United States especially, designed to stimulate the spending of money and to bring profit to companies that falsely encourage the idealism of the man in love.  But I was wrong. Valentine’s Day has been celebrated in Europe since the 15^th century through giving flowers, personalized Valentine cards and foods with high content of sugar. The card below, for instance, was created in 1909. Ultimately, Valentine’s Day remains a celebration day that has existed within the European culture and civilization for centuries, and, in my humble opinion, there is no harm in resonating with the vast culture of our old continent.

I don’t want to be too long and boring, so I say, why not? Why wouldn’t I celebrate this day, be it on the 14^th of February or 24^th of February, or any other day of the year? Even for the “righteous” in the flock, I say, it won’t bring you to bankruptcy to buy a flower and chocolate on this day, neither the man sitting at the corner of the street, selling some flower will send his child to university from a Valentine’s Day sale. Remember, Valentine’s Day will not through you in the middle of poverty nor will bring, to the salvation of your love life, a fat baby Cupid who throws arrows of love towards your object of desire.  It is just a day, possibly a beautiful one.