EVILS OF VALENTINE'S DAY REVEALED IN HISTORY [PART 2]

4.Because This Happened I’ll spare you the chatter about how Hallmark created Valentines Day in order to sell more merchandise, because while there’s some truth to card companies cashing in on the holiday, it’s existence predates them by a few centuries. You probably remember receiving valentines when you were in grade school featuring the Care Bears or Ninja Turtles, unless you were really unpopular or had headgear. That’s because the marketing behind v-cards appeals to whatever is in vogue at that exact snapshot in time. Guess what was big in the early 20th century? No, it wasn’t Gangam Style. Yes, these babies were flying off the shelves along with depictions of Asian immigrantsand Native Americans. Clearly this was an era in America where racial caricatures were prevalent in ad campaigns across the board, and this seems wildly inappropriate today unless you’re the Cleveland Indians. Regardless, putting Sambo on your love letters is pretty low. 5.It’s National Break Up Day It’s not cheating if it’s with another man! There’s something no one tells you about Valentines day when you’re in a relationship – it’s a lot of f#*%ing pressure. The mandatory romance shtick gets old real quick when you’re rushing to make dinner plans and get the perfect little something for the girl you’ve been exclusive with for a whole eight minutes. All the hearts and flowers will do nothing to quell feelings of your relationship free falling from casual fun to commitment town. Maybe that’s why it’s one of the most popular days for relationships to end. Or what about the other side of the coin? Maybe you’re in a serious relationship that’s endured to the point that you’re farting in front of each other. Now, instead of your comfortable routine of snuggling up to reality television, you’re getting dolled up to try and impress someone you’ve already bagged. Nothing screams “our relationship has deteriorated” more than going through the motions on national take the old girl out day. Why how special, you took me to Manzo out of some pedantic obligation that has no real connection to either of us. Jesus, it’s depressing just thinking about it. 6. It’s a Reminder You’re a Lonely Piece of Crap Ever been single on Valentines Day? That’s tons of fun. As if the marketing machine that is the Valentines beast isn’t already soul crushing enough, hearing the message of “are you ready for love?” is a bit heavy when you’re nibbling on a plate of Kraft singles with your four cats. The loveless community has responded with such converse celebrations as Singles Awareness Day, which mostly involves single people buying chocolate for themselves and talking about how glad they are to not be in a relationship. That sounds like a blast. Depression is a common symptom of being alone on any holiday, but Valentines exacerbates those feelings by heavy handedly suggesting everyone else is in love, and that being in a relationship is the ideal state to be in. Try typing ‘Valentines Day Depression’ into Google, the 2.5 million hits will give you a range of articles from helping people cope with their sadness, to angst ridden tweets about “how he broke my heart”. All the lonely people… Be sure to check out more Valentine Funny Photos. 7. Retailers Jack Up Their Prices The National Retail Federation is predicting consumers will spend near $18 billion this year for Valentines day. That’s almost $130 per person spent on flowers, chocolates, jewelry, and probably some really sissy cocktails. Think it’s coincidental the prices for these goods skyrocket on the big day? Of course you don’t, the airlines have been pulling the same gagfor years. Those roses you’ll be procuring on the big day will spike by about 33 % from their usual price range when you hastily order them just hours before the V-bomb goes off. As for the gender divide on spending, men will average around $180, with women at $88. This difference can be explained scientifically with the MenDon’tGiveACrap theory. Retailers essentially have customers by the balls in regards to spiking prices for the holidays, as even in todays (recovering?) recession economy, buyers are pulling out all the stops to satisfy their pink and red desires.