Balanarayan NT

I don’t believe in Valentine’s Day!

vday-img

Don’t believe in Valentine’s day? I don’t either.. So what am I planning to do? Burning shops – negative. Disturb those poor couples who happen to believe in the tradition – Double negative!

I am planning to spend some time with someone I love on a different day, let’s say Feb 13 the day before valentine’s day. Now why am I doing this? Think of the advantages!

I don’t believe there needs to be a day marked on a calendar to express my love so I protest in Gandhian style (aka gandhigiri) by picking up random day and titling it Valentine’s day. Why do I need to celebrate it at all? Well unfortunately some people believe in this concept. It is an innocent concept which does damage to none.. Much like Santa Clause during Christmas.. So I decided to let it be.

What are the other advantages of celebrating it a day ahead? It is easier to get a reservation for movies, and halls will be less crowded too. It will be easier to book a table in a restaurant and just in case a couple gets a table on V day the staff will try to push them off, so they can get the next couple on the table and make more money. Also places like Church street and Brigade Road won’t be as crowded as it would be on V day.. the autos I am sure will hike their rates on V day!

PS: Why am I against Valentine’s day? I believe its a tad too commercialised for my liking!

33 responses to “I don’t believe in Valentine’s Day!”

  1. Ruhi Avatar
    Ruhi

    Good idea Balu! We don’t need 14th feb to celebrate our love lives! Today, I’m going out with a friend to help her prepare her V-Day gift for her bf. LOL. And I’m not even doing anything for V-Day.

    Celebrating it one day ahead is a good idea. 🙂 I like it because I will be very busy on 14th.

    Reply
  2. badkelly Avatar
    badkelly

    I agree! I am celebrating on the 15th. I feel it is far too commercialised for my taste as well. I have never really cared for it. And when my exhusband proposed on Valentine’s Day… I should have known he wasn’t a very good listener! 😉

    Reply
  3. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    @ Ruhi
    Ah that extra special gift heh! 😀
    Glad I inspired someone (I did right?)

    @Badkelly
    So you said no to him (ex-hubby) then?
    😛

    Reply
  4. rekha Avatar
    rekha

    A good post… your idea makes lot of sense. Be it 14 or 13 or 15, it’s all in the mind, is it not! I agree, these things have become too commercial, and no point falling prey to crude business tricks.

    By the way, I have picked your post for linking to my blog: Dateline Bangalore.

    Reply
  5. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    @ Rekha
    Hey that’s an interesting site you got there 😀
    Am adding you to my blogrol!

    Reply
  6. dinsan Avatar
    dinsan

    I agree that its too commercialized.. .. I leave the commercial part there and go ahead with my own plans 🙂 I will be in Bglr this weekend .. with her.. and u know what, this VDay was good excuse for me to get a leave @ work and also to tell my parents that I am going to visit here !!

    Reply
  7. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    @Dinsan
    LOL good for u! And hw long will u be in blr?
    psst by the way littlechap might speak abt open source, technology etc from now on! =)

    Reply
  8. Xylene Avatar
    Xylene

    @balu,
    u can ‘celebrate love’ on any day.
    14th is a bit expensive.
    //red roses on valentines day cost 3 times than normal rates//
    //restaurants charge more on couples entry//

    well at the end of the day, its your choice.

    Reply
  9. ish Avatar
    ish

    Look at me, I’m gonna protest against the Valentines Day by studying Physics on the 14th of Feb. Nothing beats that, trust me.

    And contrary to public opinion, Valentines Day isn’t for lovers. They can express love any day as you said. It’s just a day Bal Thackery created so that his people could have an excuse to do something interesting like breaking shops which sell cards and disturbing couples. So while everybody relaxes and holidays on Valentines Day, that is actually the only day Bal Thackery and Shiv Sena work on. Well, that day and some Fridays when some movies get released.

    Reply
  10. bacioluna Avatar
    bacioluna

    i completely agree with the idea that ‘valentine’s’ day should be THE day to celebrate friendship, love, etc… at least this is how most people see it.. the 14th of february is nothing more than a business, and quite honestly, i rarely think that anything done on that day for your lover, friend, etc is truly genuine, considering most people expect something or feel pressure to act or give…. i am happy to say that i will be spending the 14th with my lovely basset hound pup, who has no idea what day it is and is always happy to see me and play… 😀

    Reply
  11. bacioluna Avatar
    bacioluna

    correction: i completely DISAGREE with the idea of valetine’s… sorry, got carried away… :/

    Reply
  12. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    @ish
    LOL u can the lead the protest and I like the Shiv sena part LOL…
    @bacioluna
    Thats sweet.. you can give him a bone if u want to 😀

    Reply
  13. Shilpa Avatar
    Shilpa

    Well, points taken – commercialization, advantages et. al.,
    But is it just Valentine’s day or is it the same for other occassions too.

    Like celebrate Ganesha festival a week in advance ‘coz the flower, idol, etc are all inexpensive, lake is available and not crowded.

    Celebrate Diwali a week later ‘coz the left over crackers go cheap and the sound and light will be all yours, etc?

    After all y dedicate one day to worship God in style or to light up the house?

    Nope, I am not pro or against Valentine’s day. I am actually agnostic. Infact, I am a non-ritualist

    Reply
  14. Victoria Avatar
    Victoria

    I think I agree. I don’t know if I really believe in V-day or if I do. But I think that we don’t need a certain day to prove our love to our loved ones. We show our love to them almost everyday. V-day just seems like a normal day to me. We in Sweden don’t take V-day so seriously as they do in America, I think.
    Actually I don’t believe in marriage either. Why do you need a ring to prove your love. OK, maybe it is the thought that counts. But I think it’s too commercial. Everyone gets married nowadays just to let everyone know how much they love each other. I just don’t think that a ring and some papers dubbles the proof of their love for each other. And divorces is hard to go through.
    I prefer showing my boyfriend my love for him by supporting him, listening to him and tell him my love for him in words. I don’t need a certain day or a ring to prove my love for him. I love him and he loves me and that’s good enough for me.

    Reply
  15. Shilpa Avatar
    Shilpa

    hey, i have jumped into this discussion band wagon.
    Read more at http://shilpaprabhu.spaces.live.com

    Reply
  16. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    @ Shilpa
    Thanks for dropping by and thanks for the interesting comments as well 😀

    Like celebrate Ganesha festival a week in advance ‘coz the flower, idol, etc are all inexpensive, lake is available and not crowded.
    You see the problem is not just about commercialisation, it is also about the culture.. honestly I cant relate to the culture or history behind valentine’s day.. but I can to diwali or Ganesh Puja…

    Celebrate Diwali a week later ‘coz the left over crackers go cheap and the sound and light will be all yours, etc?

    Nice idea… But wrong comparison I say…First of all Valentine’s day is between two people.. but a festival like diwali or lets say even Christmas is for the masses…. its a festival when you do things together in a large group which you cannot do everyday. but the plans one makes for Valentine’s day can eb made on any other da of the year!

    Reply
  17. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    @ Victoria
    Thanks for the comment!
    I agree with you fully — almost

    Actually I don’t believe in marriage either. Why do you need a ring to prove your love. OK, maybe it is the thought that counts. But I think it’s too commercial.
    It’s ur life, ur choice… After all marriage is an institution.. you can be a freelancer if you don’t want ot be a permanent employee!

    Reply
  18. Nova Avatar
    Nova

    Interesting 🙂

    Reply
  19. Shilpa Avatar
    Shilpa

    Alright, so why one particluar day (Feb 13 in ur case)? Also, do you indentify with the culture of pepe/levis/lee jeans, english movies, reebok/adidas, shakira/britney spears, candle light dinners? Dont tell me, celebrating is one thing and using is another.

    Regarding festivals being mass events, do you mean like we go to temple/church on the day and meet people?
    So, you do on Valentine’s as well. You go the disc/pub and meet people.
    Besides, in these days people quit the city given a holiday. So, they really aren’t with the masses.

    Reply
  20. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    Shilpa,
    I told you I don’t celebrate or believe in the concept.. I did cos someone else (partucular someone)believes in it.. ‘not to celebrate’ was a tough bargain.. I had o settle for another day thats why on 13th..

    I didn’t understand the relation between pepe/levis/lee jeans ad culture.. they are brands.. i can relate to brand culture if thats what u mean..

    Regarding festivals being mass events, do you mean like we go to temple/church on the day and meet people?
    No thats not what i meant.. we go to temple/church to pray.. but thats not the celebration is it ? Celebration is what ypu do aftre that family get together, going out and celebrating together (in a big group!) etc

    Reply
  21. Shilpa Avatar
    Shilpa

    Well, thats double standards if you believe in brand culture but not the celebration culture – both from the same geography. But I guess thats ok.

    And, exactly how many people get together (in a large group) and go out/celebrate? Of all the people I know, I can count them on hand. With more and more nuclear families, get togethers are often limited to weddings and house warming ceremonies and that too for a couple of hours.

    Reply
  22. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    LOL who said brand culture s not indian? Dint we have brands bfore globalisation? i am not gettin ur point

    Reply
  23. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |


    With more and more nuclear families, get togethers are often limited to weddings and house warming ceremonies and that too for a couple of hours.
    I fully agree! And festival time is a great time to catch up! I don’t know at other families but it happens in m family.. I should consider myslf lucky may be.. We meet at our ancestral home as often as posible (around such festivals mostly)

    Reply
  24. Shilpa Avatar
    Shilpa

    the brands are western

    Reply
  25. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    Yes the brands u mentioned are western but I find no cultural value attached to these brads which are exclusive to them.. What I mean is what ‘culture’ do these particular western brands follow which Indian brands like Tata doesn’t? I am lost educate me!

    Reply
  26. Shilpa Avatar
    Shilpa

    Thats convinience for you. Ofcourse, all of us believe in what we want to.
    Anyways, this debate was good.

    Reply
  27. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    yup fully agree to that one! 😀

    Reply
  28. ish Avatar
    ish

    Did you write a post about the badges you’d made for blogathon? Because my feed reader showed that you did and your blog says you didn’t. But hey, I can see that badge in your sidebar. I just wanted to say that it was an excellent idea!

    Reply
  29. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    @ Ish
    I just did alright 😀
    I took it off as I found out a spelling mistake on the badge! oops.. will correct it and put it up tomorrow! Visit blogathon.in site meanwhile!

    Reply
  30. raydixon Avatar
    raydixon

    In Australia EVERY male takes Valentine’s Day very seriously. It’s one of those special (and few) days of the year when the chances of ending up in the sack are much higher than usual.

    Reply
  31. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    @ Raydixon
    LOL..

    chances of ending up in the sack are much higher than usual.

    ah! thats not the case here!

    Reply
  32. solitaire Avatar
    solitaire

    You think its too commercialized but still want to celebrate it somehow yea? All that it is is a reminder for those of us who forget about our loved ones that they do exist and it is time for us to tell them that we love them. Need not be done in a movie hall, fancy restaurant, or with fresh flowers.

    Reply
  33. | Balu | Avatar
    | Balu |

    I dont ‘want’ to celebrate but ‘I have’ to celebrate! May be some people need reminders I dont need any.. sorry!

    Reply

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