Songsoptok
INTERVIEW
Valentine’s Day – myth or reality?
SONGSOPTOK: Valentine’s Day has become one of the major festivals
these days, comparable to Thanksgiving, Christmas, Diwali, Id, Rosh Hashanah or
Chanukah and observed by men and women irrespective of religion. Do you agree?
How important is it in the country you live in??
MARIBELLA: Valentine's Day is
a big day here in the United States. It is not up to me to deem it agreeable or
not but to create it's own importance in my life. For me, everyday is a day of
love so Valentine's Day is just another reminder that love prevails in all that
I do and say. Just love.
SONGSOPTOK: There
are several different views about the history and origin of Valentine’s Day.
Which is the version you know about?
MARIBELLA: Truthfully, I am
not familiar with any story about Valentine's Day. Maybe I should look it up.
<3
SONGSOPTOK: Why do you think Valentine’s Day has become so
important all over the world irrespective of the political, social and
religious dimensions? Do you think that the anxiety and stress related to
modern day relationships have contributed to its growing popularity all over
the world?
MARIBELLA: Valentine's Day is
another holiday that people can choose to or not to celebrate. I am not
familiar on how other countries celebrate it really. It has become, in the
United States, another consumer outlet. There is pressure to buy the right
gifts and go to the right places. Yet, we individually can choose not to do so.
SONGSOPTOK: Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? In what way? If you
don’t, will you please explain why not?
MARIBELLA: I tell the ones
that I am close to that I LOVE THEM, which I do at every moment I can anyway. I
give them the gift of time which for me is more valuable than any material
item. A little chocolate might not hurt LOL
SONGSOPTOK: Do
you feel obliged to do something special for your spouse/partner on Valentine’s
Day or it is similar to and as natural as celebrating birthdays and
anniversaries? In other words, is there any peer pressure to conform to the
traditions associated with the modern version of Valentine’s Day?
MARIBELLA: I do not let myself be pressured by other people's
definition of what I must do on that day. I do what feels right. I do not
follow tradition.
SONGSOPTOK: According to you what, if anything, is special about Valentine’s Day? Does
it play an important role in romantic relationships? Why? Is it important for
you to surprise your partner on Valentine’s Day? What would be your preferred
way?
MARIBELLA: Romance is a daily
behavior; a holiday does not define that for me.
SONGSOPTOK: Do you buy gifts on Valentine’s Day? What type of
gifts do you normally buy? Do you think it is important to follow the norm and
go for the traditional gifts like flowers, chocolates, cards, perfumes etc.?
Please share your motivations or lack of them with us?
MARIBELLA: I do what feels
right not what others think I should do. If we love genuinely, we would know
what our loved ones like or dislike. I do not follow the norm. If I feel good
about buying a gift to bring a smile to a loved one, then I will. If I feel
good doing it again the next week after Valentine's, then I will. I also say
LOVED ONES, which means it is not limited to our partners exclusively.
SONGSOPTOK: Marketing Gurus often dub Hallmark as the official
sponsor of Valentine’s Day in the USA. Do you have any equivalent in your own
country? Do big consumer good companies carry out an aggressive promotion
campaign for Valentine’s Day? What are their preferred channels? Do social
media play an important role in this respect in your country of residence?
MARIBELLA: Hallmark is a main
vendor promoting Valentine's Day. It has become another holiday run by greedy
consumerism. Campaigns to buy the right gifts are very aggressive. Social media
is used for “displaying” what our partners gifted us on that day. I don't
follow that norm.
SONGSOPTOK: What
are the popular customs related to Valentine’s Day in the country you live in?
What do you think about them? Do you think that men and women actually enjoy
and look forward to 14th February or is it just a matter of keeping up with the
Jones’??
MARIBELLA: I think some people
genuinely use that day to demonstrate their love as they do other days as well.
Yet, in general, most people are pressured to do the right thing that day
(gifts, etc) as they feel they will be judged for their actions. Gossip about
unreached expectations blaze quickly. Love expressions come in many different
forms.
SONGSOPTOK: Do
you think that there is actually a social stigma for single, unattached people
who do not celebrate Valentine’s Day? Do you think that the Valentine Day
extravaganza may have a negative impact on their psyche, moral and ultimately
their well-beings? What is your own experiences? Would you please share it with
us?
MARIBELLA: Again for me, Valentine's Day can be for all
our LOVED ONES not just couples. Parents can celebrate with their children and
vice versa for example. From my experiences, those that are single do feel some
sort of way about this holiday as marketing is targeted to couples. If we all
were to believe it is a day of love, none of that would play a part.
Aparajita
Sen
(EDITOR)
Songsoptok
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