Oh! Colombo 

February is definitely the mushiest month of the year for romantics. The month is all about love, especially for the younger generation, who are euphoric about their crush or the one they are in love with. They celebrate their euphoria in February and most romantics want to be dined, wined and romanced on Valentine’s Day and most definitely expect roses and gifts. 

The commercial aspect of Valentine’s Day is horrific as marketers do their best to lure the romantics by offering great bargains and entrapping these vulnerable young romantics to spend loads of money; even those who cannot afford it get into debt just to please their loved one. Additionally, money is spent on new shoes, outfits, accessories, haircuts etc., in preparation to celebrate this pointless Day. Made pointless by our hypocrisy. 

St. Valentine, the patron saint of lovers, gave his life so that young couples could be together. He smuggled the young soldiers back from the frontlines so that they could spend some time with their lovers. For his kindness he lost his life. But today we celebrate his memory with gross consumerism, tacky gifts of chocolates and flowers. Feeding an industry that cares nothing about the well-being of anyone’s relationship. 

As for the married and jaded couples, it is another game at a very high level. Like a dentist they try to yank out an expensive gift from their partners, be it jewelery, accessories and other items that are of high cost. The greedy mistresses and kept toy boys also have a very beneficial day as the love smitten partners, trapped in a romantic notion of love, are eager to present them with expensive gifts. It is said that many hotel rooms are reserved in the afternoon of Valentine’s Day to celebrate the illicit relationship since in the evening they have to be with their spouse and suffer an evening over a long drawn dinner. Valentine's Day dinner offers are five to six courses that seemingly drag on and on and make it the most excruciating night for most unhappy couples who go through with the farce of celebrating Valentine’s Day. A farce that they go through being fully aware that they are cheating on their lawfully wedded other and having a lot of guilt about it. 

In reality, those couples who are content with each other do not even bother about this nonsensical day and carry on with their lives like they would any other day in the belief that romance is a daily affair. 

This year the dedicated day of love falls on a Sunday. This will add a lot of stress to all illicit lovers as making love in the afternoon would have to be put off to the day after, much to the annoyance of the keep. 

What people go through in the name of love is quite something else.