2. Do you celebrate Valentine's Day?

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Jo G: Hi. So, I'm here with Jo, Kirk and Tina to find out how they feel about Valentine's Day, and my search continues for the, the romantics in our team. So, Jo, do you celebrate Valentine's Day?
Jo B: Um, no. These days we really don't celebrate it here in, where I live in Catalunya. It's not, in Spain, generally I don't think it's celebrated much, and here we tend to celebrate Sant Jordi in April. April the 23rd is our romantic day, where we give each other books and roses.
Jo G: Yeah.
Jo B: I prefer that to Valentine's Day, to be honest.
Jo G: It's a nice day. It seems like it's more for everybody, not just for people that have got partners.
Jo B: Yeah.
Jo G: We like that. OK, and what about you, Kirk, do you celebrate?
Kirk: No, not really. I used to, when I lived back in the US. We would typically go out to dinner, though usually we'd do it a couple of days before or a couple of days after because everything was so busy and expensive on Valentine's Day, so we'd just go another day and celebrate then. But yeah, living in Catalunya, like Jo I, I ... mainly here it's Sant Jordi for us.
Jo G: Right, OK. So Tina, you're my last hope!
Tina: Don't hope!
Jo G: There in the UK. Are you a romantic? Do you celebrate Valentine's Day? 
Tina: In my heart, I am a romantic.
Jo G: Ahhh.
Tina: In my heart, but been in a, I guess, a relationship for a very long time, over thirty years. So at the beginning it was amazing, flowers, cards, everything like that. Never really did the dinner thing. I think we always thought the dinner was a waste because it was such a lot of money like Kirk said. Now hit and miss if I get a card, and er, so, yeah I don't know. I'm a romantic at heart, how about that? Does that work?
Jo G: OK, I'll take it! Definitely! I like it. Do you know, I think I've never received a Valentine's Day card?
All: No! Jo! 
Tina: I'll send you one!
Jo G: OK, yes, please. Thank you!
Jo B: I remember when I was about fifteen or sixteen. I was in the last year of secondary school and I did receive an anonymous Valentine's Day card in my locker.
Jo G: That's the absolute dream!
Jo B: Yeah, because that was the thing you used to do. It was with the question mark. You had to guess who it was. And I did know, actually, who it was, but I pretended that I didn't.
Kirk: Mmm.
Jo G: Were you happy with who it was?
Tina: Yes.
Jo B: Aww, yeah.
Tina: Awww.
Jo B: He was very sweet. He still is very sweet, but ...
Tina: It wasn't to be.
Jo B: It wasn't to be. It wasn't— 
Jo G: Ahh, I love that though. It's like a film! OK, amazing. I'll take it. We've had a romantic story from Jo , and Tina is a romantic at heart, OK then. So, we want to know from you. Do you celebrate Valentine's Day, and how do you feel about it?

In this video, LearnEnglish colleagues discuss their attitudes to Valentine's Day. Do they celebrate it? Do we have any romantics in the team?!

Not everyone likes Valentine's Day. It can be a difficult time for people who are single, lonely or missing somebody. Some people say it's too commercial. They say you can show your love for your partner every day, so you don't need to spend money just because it's Valentine's Day. What's your opinion?

Over to you

  • Do you celebrate Valentine's Day?
  • What do you think of the idea?

Write a comment and tell us what you think!

 

Average: 4.2 (5 votes)

Submitted by Marishenka on Wed, 14/02/2024 - 20:51

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hi, everybody. in 2 years my mind is chance i started to love all holidays. before i was think that its particular day nothing change, i still continue to live the same life, but now when routine days is more than holydays and you forget to please yourself . That one day in month i try to fully enjoy and please yourself and some relatives or people who important for me. So for me its special day, its day when i can afford to buy for myself or some one else, some maybe useless things, which i could want to buy but my psychology stopping me . but in special day i can enjoy it

Submitted by Madzgarashvili on Tue, 13/02/2024 - 13:05

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Hi,
I want to say my opinion about valentine's day, I think that it's not any significant day in my life, because Valentine's day doesn't contain any exemplary history and it is not lovely day for me, for what I have to do something with my wife. So, I never celebrate Valentine's day and I advise all of you to don't celebrate that stupid day, thanks.

Submitted by Timah on Sat, 10/02/2024 - 11:50

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Hello everyone !
I don't usuallly celebrate valentine's day, cause my partener don't like it, according to him we don't have to wait and show our love just in one day.
But i'm so a romantik person, sfor this year i planed to offer myself some flowers💐

Submitted by RobKM03 on Wed, 07/02/2024 - 23:33

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Hello.
No, I don´t celebrate valentine´s day that´s a normal day to me even though am not romantic person.

Submitted by Christy2106 on Tue, 30/01/2024 - 19:55

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Hi, I celebrate Valentine's day. I reallty liked this day. I with my boyfrriend are together all day. We watching films, give gifts, go to the restaurant and enjoy each other.
I think, it is a good idea to celebrate this day. It is day for you and your partner. It is time to love.

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Submitted by Umar Hammad on Tue, 21/03/2023 - 07:17

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yes very happily and full of joy

Submitted by Christina Brit… on Tue, 07/03/2023 - 12:01

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Yeah! I do celebrate valentine's day .

Submitted by loanphuong on Mon, 06/03/2023 - 01:45

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I have not celebrated Valentine’s Day before. Because I have not had a boyfriend for 26 years. Lol. I will celebrate this day if I have a boyfriend in the future.

For me, couples should celebrate Valentine’s Day. This occasion is a chance to heat up love, we do not need to buy expensive gifts or go to eat at a luxury restaurant.

We can do simple things to express our love like text a sweeter message than on a normal day, buy a flower for our partner, in addition to your partner/ your beloved one feeling we still love him or her.

These things are so simple, right? But you know, people these days are busy working, earning money. Sometimes, we forget how to love, and how to express love with important ones. So I think Valentine's Day should be celebrated to remind us.

On Valentine's Day, I just need my boyfriend to cook me a simple meal by himself. We will eat together and have a deep conversation. And I will make a cake for him. Or do something handmade like a picture frame, knitting a wool hat, etc.

Hi loanphuong, 😊

I love the idea of just a simple meal, eating together with lots of lively conversation for Valentine's Day. It's the simple things in life that get overlooked. I also really love the idea of making something special to give to your Valentine. Do you like to make things? What sort of things do you like to make? I enjoy making handmade greeting cards for my kids and family. 

~ Tina ッ
LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Pheayfhlm on Sun, 05/03/2023 - 03:24

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Hi! I live in Mexico and here we celebrate this special day by giving away flowers and having romantic dinner besides that in restaurants we have a special band, Just for calling it in that way, which is called Mariachis, they sing romantic songs that the people ask for playing, women love this romantic moment, but they are not only in restaurants but also in the streets waiting for clients who want to give a surprise to the person they are in love with, we as Mexican people are pretty romantic ones, so we demonstrate love by this way.

Submitted by KARIKE77 on Wed, 01/03/2023 - 19:55

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Maybe I give gifts to my family members, but not because I'm in a relationship, so I don't celebrate Valentine's Day, but I think giving gifts is a nice way to show love for someone.

Submitted by Kathy_Xing on Sun, 26/02/2023 - 01:48

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I feel, I'm a romantic person, I like celebrating Valentines' day. Although things getting expensive that day, I still want to eat out and experience the romantic atmosphere.

Submitted by red-yellow on Tue, 21/02/2023 - 22:22

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Yes, we do celebrate Valentine’s Day. We go out for a dinner or make nice desserts at home and enjoy!

Submitted by irene1964 on Tue, 21/02/2023 - 15:14

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I celebrated Valentine's Day for many years when I was in a relationship. Now I am living alone and I celebrate other days.
I like the idea of celebrating, whatever it is.

Submitted by MargarethHale on Mon, 20/02/2023 - 04:54

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I absolutely do not!

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Submitted by RdVAL on Thu, 16/02/2023 - 18:21

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Valentine's day in Brazil it's celebrate on 12th june. It's not a day of a saint specific! When i was fifteen, it's was very usual between youths to send valentine's card to each other! those times were romantic! An another way to glad your girlfriend in 80' and 90' years, in this date, you usually gave to her a LP or a CD to her favourite band, with that song as like Take it easy from Eagles ! or the heart of matter! from the same band. A song can remember good times lived togheter! these were the 80' and 90' years.

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Submitted by Dulsara Mabarana on Thu, 16/02/2023 - 03:17

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Valentines Day is a just a normal day for me because i don't have a girlfriend to clelebrate it.I played video games on valentines day morning and went for music festival with my class mates in the evening.

Submitted by Totavx7 on Wed, 15/02/2023 - 22:24

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I couldn’t celebrate in this Valentine’s Day case I have many things to solve it

Submitted by Andre_060105 on Wed, 15/02/2023 - 13:33

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Hello people. Here in Brazil we don't celebrate Valentine's day on February, 14th, we do it on June, 12nd. This happens because here we don't have the tradition of Saint Valentine, instead, we celebrate Saint Anthony - the marriage saint. So, how his feast day is on June, 13rd, and the dating comes before the marriage, the Valentine's day in Brazil (knowed here as "Dia dos Namorados") is celebrated a day before the St. Anthony's day.

Submitted by Adeb on Tue, 14/02/2023 - 18:10

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I don't celebret valentine's day

Submitted by Maricav on Tue, 14/02/2023 - 11:23

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Hi everyone! I celebrate Valentine's day every day, because I consider this day how a commercial party. I think and I express my love for my boyfriend, everyday. I feel loved from him in every moment.
Furthermore for me this day is not reported to every couple, but to love in general!

Submitted by amorantai on Mon, 13/02/2023 - 16:27

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Not that we brightly celebrate this day, but we still try to please each other.
We give hugs, kisses, and sweet notes. Of course, all of this can be done every day. But if you like holidays and holiday cheer, this is another reason to have fun and have a good time.

Submitted by tasbeeh Abdelsalam on Sun, 12/02/2023 - 14:56

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I don't celebrate the valentine's Day, because i am still single. I hope the next year i will be in love with my life partner. But whatever the valentine's Day is a very romantic day that everyone one celebrate with his soulmate and they can exchange precious gifts like flowers that give a very warm feeling. And also chocolate or jewelleries it actually affects the couple's relationship in a good way. I wish everyone be happy in this day.

Submitted by Sayed Aamr on Sun, 12/02/2023 - 07:49

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Hello everyone,
I don't want to say I don't believe In Valentine's Day. But I think when you love someone and the other person loves you. It can't be shown in one day. true love takes time.

Submitted by AMNOMANM on Sat, 11/02/2023 - 02:54

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Salam. No. I don't celebrate Valentine's Day. But my mother's birthday is on this day. So, we go out for dinner when I lived back with my parents.

Well, I am a romantic person at heart. So, I love the idea but not celebrating this theme for only one day and not for those who have got partners.

Submitted by MarcoACM on Fri, 10/02/2023 - 21:53

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Hello, I´m Marco from Venezuela, in my country we do celebrate Valentine´s Day but is also known as "The love and friendship day", so we can send flowers chocolates, have a romantic dinner with our couple, lover and patner... but also can give a little present to one good friend. In my opinion is nice custom that allow for all of us shared one day in the name of love... i can´t see anthing bad with it

Submitted by shaza kamal on Fri, 10/02/2023 - 15:44

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i didn’t celebrate it before even with seven years married, me and my husband see every single day in a year as love day and along the year we celebrated with gifts of course

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Submitted by fede0108 on Fri, 10/02/2023 - 00:35

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I won't be able to celebrate it on February 14th this year. But I'll have a lovely dinner the next Saturday. I think it's a great idea! People usually don't have time to think about the person they love because of their jobs or studies. So, I believe this day is a good excuse to spend a day with your partner to keep up.

Submitted by Roocio on Fri, 10/02/2023 - 00:07

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I celebrate Valentine's day with my boyfriend since 2019. So, it's a normal day for me but I really enjoy giving him a special gift. However, I try to be romantic every day.

Submitted by Minerva22 on Thu, 09/02/2023 - 19:32

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Hello everyone, I don't celebrate this valentine's day, because, I don't have partner, so that in particular day, It will be like a normal day to me.

Submitted by StefDS on Thu, 09/02/2023 - 18:07

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Usually, I don't celebrate Valentine's day as my husband and I prefer to have special romantic days all year round. However, I think it's not bad to have a set day that reminds us to put aside, for a bit, our busy day-to-day routine and create beautiful memories with our special person.

Submitted by flauberjp on Thu, 09/02/2023 - 17:56

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I loved to watch the recorded meetup! To listen your opinions, all different, so interesting. Really nice! In my opinion, the love and friendship shall be celebrate all days. To have that day on calendar, it is more a commercial thing, but it has its value anyway.

Submitted by Giomafra on Thu, 09/02/2023 - 17:47

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Hello, I am a new participant on your site.
Here in Italy there are different ways to celebrate, but I prefer to spend a nice evening at dinner with other couples of friends.

Submitted by Quachtuong on Thu, 09/02/2023 - 15:59

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I think this year I will do something special in Valentine's day. And about my opinion, I agree with that idea. If we love someone, please don't wait for Valentine's day to show your love. Let's do it everyday and everywhere you can.

Submitted by SaungPwintOo on Thu, 09/02/2023 - 14:45

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I don't celebrate Valentine's day. I'm single. I think Valentine's day is not only about romantic love. I'll give present my mom, and I'll say " I love u " her.

Submitted by Stefanía Farfá… on Thu, 09/02/2023 - 12:28

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I don't celebrate Valentine's Day.

Submitted by ko.marick on Thu, 09/02/2023 - 11:44

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I celebrate Valentine's day. I'm so obsess to give gifts to my relatives. I love make presents to my boyfriend and my friends, because the Valentine's day is not only about romantic love, it's also about friendship. And i think it's a good idea, because it's the reason to say "i love you" one more time.