Valentine’s Day is a holiday which is popular with people of different ages and different jobs. Students are not the only ones that have an opinion about this holiday. The teachers of FCHS are also willing to share their own thoughts and experiences.

Mr. Daniels thinks that Valentine’s Day is a fun holiday. “My wife and I try to find little ways to show each other how much we care everyday, but sometimes having a fun excuse to dress up, and do a little but more than a typical date-night, is really meaningful and important to a relationship. Valentine’s Day serves this purpose for us, and is especially meaningful because we don’t build it up as the pinnacle of our relationship any given year. There’s no pressure to make it about spending lots of money or doing crazy things- just an awesome excuse to be a little extra corny in the romance department!” he says. This year, they plan on going to dinner in DC, and seeing a show at the Kennedy Center. Mr Daniels says, “Flowers are a must.” However, his advice to guys is to give flowers all the time, not just on special occasions. This helps make Valentine’s Day about small meaningful gestures. Otherwise, the expectations for Valentine’s Day from both people in the relationship are inflated and very tough to meet. “As for the holiday itself, I think the best way to celebrate with your significant other, or even just a date, is to make it about something you both enjoy because that’s what you will remember most—the experience.”

As for Mr. Zlatnik, he always gives his wife small presents like chocolate or flowers, not just on Valentine’s Day. He says, “I believe that the Valentine’s Day is a nice idea, especially for young unmarried couples: it gives a good reason to do something sweet or romantic together.”

When Mr. Tra was younger, Valentine’s Day was the one holiday that made sense to him. “To me, it was about loving the people who enriched my life the most. I realized that all holidays are commercialized and didn’t have much true meaning. Despite this, I believed that being with the special person in my life on that day would be worth it.” However, his opinion has changed. “Life taught me I was naive,” he said. “In the end, Valentine’s day is just another commercial propaganda. It costs nothing to truly love the special people in my world and that I should be doing it every day. Spending excessive amounts of money on a specific day does not make our relationship stronger or better. It does not give us more joy or appreciate one another any more or less. In fact, the stress of the ‘holiday’ actually detracts from our enjoyment of each other due to the fantasized perceptions of romance created by the business sectors. We are constantly trying to reach for that perfect moment instead of cherish the moment.”

“I really have no interesting experience about Valentine’s Day that I can remember,” says Ms. Sherman. “Here’s my take on Valentine’s Day: I think it is a great way for Hallmark and flower companies to make money.”

Speaking about flower companies, Ms. Olarinde, who has some previous professional experience with this holiday, was also willing to share her thoughts. “A really interesting perspective is when I used to work at a florist shop. Valentine’s was a big holiday for them, even though Mother’s Day makes more money (Mother’s Day is less stressed because deliveries are stretched out over a longer delivery window). My favorite thing to upsell people on was our gigantic 4-dozen roses in a vase (yes, it weighed a ton—yes, it was expensive) with 4-foot teddy bear and box of chocolates. The delivery drivers hated those things! Imagine 48 roses in a crystal vase with water sloshing everywhere and a driver trying to manage that while holding a clipboard, bear and giant candy box, while heading through security into a federal building! There was never a dull moment—angry people calling to give you an earful when the flowers could not be delivered on the 14th , helping someone tie an engagement ring to their flowers, helping guys craft just the right poetic thought to put on their card, men banging on the door when the store was closing on the 14th, desperate to buy anything with a petal on it!”  Ms. Olarinde also wants to give guys some pieces of advice on buying flowers for beloved ones. “If you are new to a relationship, stick with a bouquet of flowers in white or yellow or pink colors, and steer clear of red, which means romantic love!” she says. “Don’t forget to have the florist cut and tie you a ribbon on the bouquet.”  She also adds, “Don’t always go for roses. Carnations stay fresher longer and are cheaper! Another fun fact is that the roses are about 3-4 times more expensive for this holiday. You want cheaper roses? Buy them in the summer!”