Lauren RabainoHeart-shaped boxes, roses and teddies (both the bear and the wear) for V-Day – we’re ready.
Remember in elementary school when Valentine’s Day meant getting a butt-load of candy and Power Rangers or Barbie or Care Bear cards? Those were the days! Now that we’re older, the ante is raised; our tastes are more sophisticated. We want roses, fine chocolate, jewelry . and now cell phones?
For some reason, cell phone companies like Verizon think that telling someone you love them is the same as buying them the new “seductive Blackberry.” What’s so seductive about a phone? “Mmmm. look at that. a full ‘qwerty’ keypad.” I admit that it would be baller if you were single and bought someone one of these and said, “Call me sometime, the number’s already in it – under Doctor Freaky Deaky.”
But please, has our concept of love been twisted so far that now it’s a consumerist impulse? That’s not to say that buying candy and flowers or jewelry is wrong. These things go beyond trends; they’ve been here long enough to be tradition. Buying these things is unavoidable, but we can do better.
I say forget about the trendy devices and quirky little products. You’re supposed to show your special someone that they’re special. Buying them a phone that thousands of people already have is sweet but not at all original.
What happened to memorizing and reciting a love poem in French, even though you didn’t know what it said, or if it was a love poem at all?
How about using some of your arts and crafts skills from third grade to make a Valentine’s Day card with an original poem in it? “Roses are red, violets are blue, your skin is as smooth as chocolate fondue.” That’ll make ’em say, “Uhhhhhh na na na na!”
Or do something that shows you know your special someone. Are they a Napoleon Dynamite fan? Draw a picture of their face and give it to them.
The apple of your eye is gonna eat all your chocolates and watch your expensive roses wither and die, so why not do something a little different?
Also, we just can’t let the advertising companies overwhelm the nature of Valentine’s Day with consumerism. Can you imagine a world where every kiss really did begin with Kay? Where Cupid’s arrows made you run to your nearest cell phone dealer? Where the saying “love is blind” really meant, “Buy me stuff and I’ll get over your stupid haircut”?
This V-Day, don’t waste your money. Do something special for your loved one. And if you don’t have a loved one, do something special for yourself. Or hit up the seductive TRENDASAURUS for a Valentine’s Day full of wonderment . and Michael McDonald’s greatest love songs.
Brian McMullen is a journalism senior and Mustang Daily columnist.