The Price of Love: Capitalism’s Grip on Valentine’s Day

Feb. 14 — good ol’ Valentine’s Day. The day of love and, for many, expressing that love. Shelves decked out in shades of pink and red. Heart-shaped boxes of chocolates — the de facto gift. Valentine’s Day sections of stores are plentiful, filled with goodies and gifts for any loved one.

One trip to the Harvard Square CVS at this time of year will reveal that Valentine’s Day, like most other holidays, has grown incredibly commercialized, centering around gift-giving, rather than the celebration of love itself.

The oldest “valentine” that we still have today is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of New Orleans, for his wife, who was imprisoned in a tower at the time.

How endearing. Personally, if I were locked in a tower, I would be honored to receive a poem from the love of my life. What I would not appreciate, however, is a box of chocolates — an arbitrary, impersonal gesture with roots in consumerism.

In 2023, Americans spent around $25.9 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. $25.9 billion. That’s enough to buy every Harvard undergraduate around 100 Tesla Model 3 cars.

When it comes to Valentine’s gifts, it should be the thought that counts — not the sticker price.

In fact, it has to be, given that we’re college students, where it is already hard to balance finances — a challenge that is compounded by the soaring markup prices at our local establishments. Want a singular bag of Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Caramel Squares? That will cost you $7.79 at the Harvard Square CVS. An even bigger bag of the same chocolates from Target is only $5.99, but is a T-stop away.

Needless to say, celebrating Valentine’s Day in this day and age might be a bit challenging for us students.

Yet Valentine’s Day doesn’t need to burn holes in our pockets. The day should serve as an opportunity to express our love in creative ways, not shower those we care about with an endless amount of mass-produced goods.

It seems as if we are becoming increasingly unaware that the act of gift-giving mustn’t always align with societal tendencies towards materialism.

How is someone simply supposed to thoroughly express their care for another through a store-bought good? A much better alternative would be something handmade — even if it holds less monetary value.

So instead of mindlessly choosing chocolates or flowers for your loved ones this Valentine’s Day, consider more meaningful modes of commemorating this romantic holiday. Perhaps this looks like a movie night or attending one of the many Valentine’s Day-themed events on campus. Even as busy college students, there are innovative — and budget-friendly — ways to spend Feb. 14 more closely aligned with the true meaning of the day.

Despite all this, I do look forward to Valentine’s Day. I appreciate the idea of a day dedicated to sharing love with others. All I hope is that this Valentine’s Day, we can keep in mind that the best way to express our love and friendship is not necessarily through the exchange of objects but rather through small gestures of care.

Megan K. Schulz ’27, a Crimson Editorial editor, lives in Grays Hall.