Valentine’s Day around the globe
I decide who I want to love. And that is how single Italian girls start their Valentine’s Day on 14th February. First thing first, they run at the window to check out the first man that would pass by, because my dear friends, yes that man… That man is the one to marry.
Traditions like this Italian one might be not very popular anymore, but Verona (Italy) still celebrates with a letter competition to Juliet. While I don’t really run up to the window to check out who’s the first man passing by and as a consequence marry a complete stranger, I do like the idea of getting at least a heart-shaped chocolate. I mean, I am not as lamely sentimental as I might sound but I believe in nice and kind gestures. I, myself would do the same. Indeed I am for equality and men deserve chocolates as well.
In fact in Japan their tradition expect women to give chocolates to men on the Valentine’s Day and a month later men will give something back to women, quite cool, isn’t it? Because to be completely fair I don’t see why it should always be the man to give a gift to the woman? That is, I suppose, quite a feminist tradition. Cynical or not, I admit to getting angry if my partner even extended a word to me on Saint Valentine’s Day. However this year I decided to love who I want. I want to love Amsterdam. I’ve booked a return ticket to Holland for the 15th February. I travel, alone.
Who said after all that Valentine’s Day is for couples only? In the USA school kids write letters to their parents and I totally agree that love is love in all its sense. I love my mum and my cats. I love languages and I super duper love travelling. But do I give to everything and everyone? No. It’s not really needed. The truth is a day that is supposed to represent love has turned into a day that represents consumerism - it couldn’t get any less romantic.
That is why in the Philippines they don’t do presents they just do love. All couples meet in huge squares where they chant “Yes, I do” in a synchronised fashion. Some of them actually wait to get married the very same day. They wait because apparently the queue is quite long.
Love love love.
“What is love? Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, no more.”
How many words have been used when talking about love to sing a song, to cry a poem or to publish a novel? Many, many words have been written and many tears have fallen for love and yet we still don’t understand that emotional is immaterial. No presents, just love please.
Companies do make money out of days like Valentine’s Day and I am not blaming them, in fact i blame us. I don’t want flowers, nor do I want love cards. Write me a message and tell me how much you love me. Yes, that is something that you should always do, but we are all so busy nowadays that we often forget to do so, therefore do it for Valentine’s Day, you have no excuse.
You are my friend, my mum or my partner. So write to me. Let me know. Then come to see me and share a heart-shape chocolate, and finally, make me laugh. This is love. Love needs no money. Well of course, the chocolate needs to be bought but that is not such an amount of money you can’t afford. Words cost nothing at all. A smile, costs nothing at all. However, those are the moments I can remember the best, when you smile at me.
Ok, so maybe I am lame, but hey I am a human being after all.
Happy Saint Valentine’s Day everybody.
Cupido una flecha me lanzó. (Cupid an arrow throw at me.)
San Valentín de rojo se puso, (Saint Valentine turned red,)
pero como no tengo nada del color del amor (but as I have nothing to wear in red)
sin amor me quedé (I have found no love)
y la flecha bloqué (I stopped that arrow)
antes de que (before)
a mi corazón llegara. (it would have even touched my heart.)
La puse en la cabecera (I saved it on my bedhead)
a lado de mi cama, (just next to my bed,)
de manera que ‘si por acaso’ (so that ‘if by chance’)
el hombre de mi vida pasara (the man of my life would arrive)
la flecha a toda prisa (that arrow, very fast)
mi corazón (my heart)
atravesara. (would have pierced.)
