The great American party — Super Bowl Sunday — is over, and now all there is to look forward to is Valentine’s Day.
I know the mere mention of this holiday overwhelms most everyone with either dread or anxiety. After a relaxing weekend of football, food and fun, the last thing we want to think about is how to celebrate Valentine’s day.
Why is Super Bowl Sunday the most celebrated day of the year?
It is because the Super Bowl is the quintessential American holiday. In all of its gluttonous, lazy glory, it is everything Valentine’s Day isn’t.
A successful Super Bowl is all about dependability. It isn’t a Super Bowl party without pizza, wings or chili, and no one is going to complain, “Isn’t this what we had last year?”
The expectations for a successful Valentine’s Day depend on ingenuity and uniqueness. To show that “special someone” how incredible they are, you must find them the perfect gift or plan the perfect night, like nothing they have ever dreamed of.
Super Bowl Sunday ambiance pretty much amounts to having the largest quantity of televisions with the biggest screens possible, so as to make sure no one misses a play — or at least doesn’t miss any of the commercials.
Relaxation is definitely a key component.
It is not about what you do, but about what you don’t do (like get off the couch, for instance). Your average party-goers are pretty relaxed about the outcome of the actual game, too. Even the hard-core NFL fans don’t stress much, since only the fans of two of the league’s 32 teams really have bragging rights at stake anyway.
Valentine’s Day ambiance is much more difficult. Expectations are much higher. Everyone has a picture of what romance should look like since we were all raised on the same sappy chick flicks. Unfortunately, unlike in the movies, life doesn’t come with a soundtrack, where somehow Eric Clapton always seems to be crooning, “Darling, you look wonderful tonight,” just as the moonlight romantically glimmers across your date’s face during the midnight carriage ride through Central Park.
Romantic atmosphere in real life takes a lot more effort to create and, inevitably, a little planning.
Expectations and effort separate these two holidays. In this age of convenience and fast-paced instant gratification, it is no wonder that Americans prefer a holiday where they can pick up a cheese and meat tray 30 minutes before kick-off, to Valentine’s Day.
Last year, 21.5 million Americans reported throwing a party with another 54.6 million attending. Advertisers spent $2.4 million for the right to reach 145 million viewers for 30 seconds during the big game. The day has become a truly beloved American holiday.
American culture emphasizes the value of ease, convenience and minimal input, so much that sometimes we forget that certain things, like relationships, thrive on effort and investment.
I’m not suggesting a lavish Valentine’s Day is the way to prove the depth of your love.
But, being generous with your time and talents, can show how much you care, be it amorous love or platonic love.
The illusions of American movies and TV create an image and ideal for romance that contradicts reality. Spontaneous, over-the-top displays of undying love are great film scenes, but they miss the foundation of love. They miss the element of time and investment that is love. They can not convey the effort of seeking to know another person, and allowing yourself to be truly known by them in return.
Super Bowl Sunday is a fun respite from the long cold winter months. But Valentine’s Day can be a reminder of the devotion and persistence that is love beyond planning that one “dreaded” perfect day.
Send comments to Amanda at [email protected].
