Valentine’s Day, a day of love, both romantic and platonic, the day you build enough courage to tell someone you care for them, the day you spend with friends, family. It’s also the day where stores are crowded with pink, red, and white hearts and huge boxes of chocolate all begging you to buy them for that special someone one. But not many know how the annual holiday came to be. The fact of the matter is no one really knows for sure, but throughout the years many tales have been created to fill the void.
One of the most popularly told origin stories for Valentine’s day would be the story of Saint Valentine, a priest from Rome in the Third Century AD. The Emperor during that time, Claudius II, had banned marriage because he believed that men who were married made bad soldiers. Valentine felt that this law was unfair and took it upon himself to ignore the Emperor's rules and married couples in secret. Eventually the Emperor found out and had thrown Valentine in jail from which he would be sentenced to death. But Valentine ended up falling in love with the jailer's daughter. The day he was taken to be executed on February 14, he left a love letter for the jailer’s daughter signed, “from your Valentine.”
At Malden High School, just as much as Valentine's day is the day that people take the time to truly appreciate one another, the holiday is also a day about fundraising money. The total spending is expected to reach $20.7 billion just in the United States, being $161.96 per person, according to the National Retail Federation. Malden High School is definitely cashing it in with the many fundraisers from the classes and clubs.
The Class of 2021 is selling chocolate roses during all four lunch blocks the prices are, $2 for 1 rose, and $3 for 2 roses. If you miss it during lunch you can also order them from Ms. Poole in B232.
Sophomore and Class of 2021 President, Harriet Shane Gerochi, who is helping sell the chocolate roses, says her goal of the fundraiser is to “sell as much as possible” because it is important to make sure they “[sell] out and make as much profit as [they can] because profit is important.” Even though making money is crucial to Gerochi she still thinks the holiday is significant and actually plans on celebrating it with her boyfriend by “[going] out to dinner.”
Billy Zeng, a member of class of ‘21 thinks the holiday is a great chance for “people to come together” and about showing just as much love to “family and friends” as you would “couples and relationships.” He thinks selling the chocolate roses is a great way to do this because you can basically “thank [people] for being [your] friend” with a small sweet gesture.
The Class of 2020 is selling Valentine’s Balloon Bouquets for $5 during lunch until February 12 or in Ms. Quinn’s office (Holland House). Malden High Rainbow Lions club is raffling off two Valentine themed baskets during all lunch periods. Prices go for $2 for 2 tickets and $6 for 5 tickets. Unicef club is selling bottled messages during lunch, one bottle is $3 and $5 for two. You’re able to write whatever you want in the bottle and it will be delivered to the gift recipient’s homeroom.
Malden High School students express their own feelings about Valentine’s Day. Junior Sarina Santana, thinks the holiday itself is a “waste of time and money,” and in her own opinion love “is the feeling of constantly wanting to be around a person.” Showing people you love them is something that people should “always do” instead of being a once a year occurrence. Senior, Audree Carleton thinks that to Malden High Valentine's day is the “time people at Malden High can come together and spread love to friends and significant others”. Carleton believes that the holiday isn’t a waste of time and instead “gives people a reason to show their appreciation to other people.”
In the end it’s clear to see that everyone at Malden High has their own opinion about Valentine's Day. It’s nice to know in a world where we’re constantly fighting with each other. There is one day of the year dedicated to appreciating and admiring those around you.
