For those of you who happened to frequent Alanwar Store last Saturday, you might have caught a glimpse of me wheeling a trolley filled to the brim with teddy bears.
Very fluffy, bright red teddy bears to be precise. For those of you who took a few seconds to question my mental stability, please don’t worry: I did not buy 30 large teddy bears for myself (there’s a sentence I thought I’d never have to assert or justify).
No, in fact, I was purchasing those fabulously fluffy commodities on behalf of my school’s Valentines Day celebrations. For the past few weeks or so, students have been able to place orders for a variety of goods, like roses and the aforementioned teddies, and request to send them to another student, i.e. a younger brother could send a rose to his older sister for St Valentine’s Day.
Indeed yesterday’s event has long acquired the image of being a day of giving and receiving. It’s a day where we’re meant to show our appreciation and devotion to those we love the most - a day where we say ‘thank you’ to those who stick by us during the worst of times.
And, based on supermarket shelves across the world, we as a species that loves to say ‘thanks’. Regardless of where you are in the world, it is highly likely you will be able to find some token of appreciation to give to someone else.
But why conform to this consumerist culture of ours and only declare your love once a year? Why do you need St Valentine’s Day to justify showing appreciation for your loved ones? Spoil them every day of the year!
I hope everyone had a great St Valentine’s Day and please do spare a thought for the millions of people, some of whom we engage with on a daily basis, who could not be with their loved ones on Tuesday.
