Is gifting necessary on Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day is known for being the most romantic day in the Gregorian calendar. As the culture of gift giving grows yearly on this day, the pressure to find the perfect gift which depicts how much you love the other person gets more difficult. But the question is, is gift-giving really necessary on this day?

February 14 comes once in a year, so in the preceding weeks and days, aisles in shopping centres, malls,  cinemas and some markets are adorned with red coloured hearts, flowers, candies, chocolates, cards etc. Everyone likes the feeling of being loved, as such; it can be quite emotional when some tell stories about how they were treated on Valentine’s Day by their loved ones.

On this day, couples, friends, parents and children send one another love notes, candies, flowers, cards and more to express their love and appreciation. 

However, because of the tradition of exchanging gifts and notes on this day, Lifextra sought to know what people feel about the trend and if it is really necessary to give gifts. 

Jo Mcconnell Assam, who resides in Lagos, told LifeXtra “What or which uniquely African culture is universally celebrated? The bond of love should be reinforced every day as every moment is special. Shared moments are the building blocks of relationships. For me, every day is special.”

Also speaking to LifeXtra, Isaac Newtøn Akah, an author, says “Gift giving is necessary and from both partners, too. Sadly, one partner tends to expect more from the other. But for Valentine’s Day, is it necessary? I don’t think so. I don’t personally believe in that day.”

IS Maeel, a student union leader, thinks that buying gifts may not be necessary. He instead said, “Do something worthwhile too. It is not always compulsory to buy gift; go on a romantic dinner and all that. However, smiling all through the day, taking a stroll, relaxing are some things we can do on this day. We should give more of immaterial gifts than material gifts.”

Concurring with IS Maeel, David Lein Victor, a student, opined that giving gifts is not necessary on Valentine’s Day. “It is expected that true lovers always show affection regardless of any celebration or time of festival. Buying of gifts isn’t the embodiment of true affection and so it is not necessary.”

 Quoting a line from a Christmas song, another student David Odiase stated “The only gift I’ll ever need is the joy of family. No amount of gift compares to a tender cuddle or a kind, sincere word. It is preferable to be full of love and be poor in parcels than vice versa. Hence giving gifts is not a must. After all the expression of love should transcend material things.”

However, Melissa Ezarik in the article “15 Valentine’s Day heartbreaker gifts” had this to say “They say it’s the thought that counts, but buyers beware: Valentine’s Day is not so much about giving a gift as it is about giving the right gift. This year, with everyone watching their budgets, the right gift will be harder to choose.” She added “Even a seemingly harmless, traditional gift can backfire. No matter what stage your relationship is in, you should think twice before picking any.”