Due to the idea of Valentines Day being ingrained in our consciences as a day where we must celebrate our partners, it represents a reliable income stream for card companies and other businesses. For example, in 2006, $13.9 billion worth of chocolate and cocoa products were shipped into the USA (1). Thus it could be argued that the occasion represents a chance for capitalism to prosper, using the pretence as love as a vehicle to make money

(1)http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=25964&z=3

In recent times, the idea of single people being able to enjoy Valentines Day has been more prominent. Many clubs and bars now offer singles nights on Valentines Day to help people meet partners, through schemes like speed dating. It may be cynical but some may claim this is an attempt by businesses to widen their Valentines Day market, cashing in on the misery of singletons by pressuring them not to be alone.

In 2003, there were mass protests in India and Pakistan about the exporting of Valentines Day to their countries. The right-wing Shiv Sena group argued that the occasion encouraged lustful behaviour by the youth, undercutting traditional values for the benefit for Western businesses (1). Surely attempting to market Valentines Day to cultures which may take great offence from its messages illustrates the ugly greed of the modern concept.

(1)http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2749 667.stm

Whilst the idea of St. Valentines Day as a day of love is long established, it is actually based on a basic misconception. It is in fact St. Raphael who is the ‘patron saint for happy encounters’ (1) and not St. Valentine. This is a fact commonly accepted within the Church, but something which most people are ignorant to. Seeing then as the day is based on a falsity, surely its credibility as a genuine celebration of loving union is damaged. Perhaps a 19th century marketing department decided ‘Valentine’ had a nicer ring to it than ‘Raphael’…

(1)http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7888539.stm