Lange, "Want To Buy A Valentine?"

Perspective 1: There actually is emotional significance in giving your beloved a valentine made by someone else

In "Want To Buy A Valentine?" Alexandra Lange argues that hand crafted Valentine's day cards have more meaning and value than cards made by someone else, or e-cards.  Lange's argument is that the thought and effort put into making hand crafted cards is what makes them more meaningful to the individual recieving them.  The thought behind the design is what shows the individual how much their loved one cares for them.  However, this does not mean that the people who give their significant others cards from a drugstore or online site like Etsy do not care about their partners.  These people may not have the time to actually craft a valentine for their loved one.  Instead they show their love and appreciation through pre-made Valentine's day cards.  Their is just as much thought put in to picking out the perfect Valentine's day card as their is in hand crafting one.  Another reason why people may choose to buy their loved ones Valentine's day cards as opposed to making them is because many people either find it hard to come up with an original creation to express how they feel, or just don't have the skill to actually hand craft a valentine.  Most pre-made valentine's just look nicer and many come with very loving quotes/messages on the inside.  Just because the words written in the card were not written by the individual buying it does not mean that the message is not true.  The thought behind choosing the perfect card with the perfect message is what gives the "generic" pre-made Valentine's day cards meaning.


Perspective 2: Is card-swapping of Valentine's Day is truly meaningful or just a commercialized holiday that everyone takes part in simply because we're supposed to?

Valentine's Day is definitely a commercialized holiday.  The fact that there is a day to  for people to tell their loved ones how they feel is a little ridiculous; it takes the meaning out of saying "I love you".  People should express how they feel about each other because they truly want to, not because there is a holiday that tells them to say "I love you".  Valentine's day is just another "holiday" to remember and chance for the greeting card industry to make money.  I am sure that greeting card sales dramatically increase around Valentine's day; along with chocolate and flower sales.  While it is nice to have people express how much they care for you on this day, I feel like it is a little forced and is more of an opportunity for the greeting card industry to boost sales.