Is Social Media Cramping Our V-Day Style?

Regardless of whether or not you’ve sworn it off as a Hallmark holiday, Valentine’s Day is THE day that people pause to recognize and celebrate love in their own unique ways.

Traditionally, some would keep it simple with a box of chocolates or a sweet note for their mates. Others would go all out, sending flowers to their partners’ offices, planning romantic dinners out on the town, or renting out entire movie theaters to show their loved ones just how much they cared.

Yet, now that social media has such a hold on all of our lives, our celebration of this holiday seems to be changing.

Here’s proof.

Our newfound reliance on Google, Urban Spoon, online shopping websites, and e-card sites has certainly caused a shift in our Valentine’s Day efforts, and I’m beginning to think it is cramping our creativity too.

I myself realize that my personal reliance on social media comes into play now and then in my own relationship. My boyfriend and I have been together a few years, so I’ve recently found myself turning to the web for new gift ideas or to cut a few corners in preparation for next Monday.

Admittedly, social media is advantageous in several ways when it comes to any holiday. However, I am afraid it is starting to make us lazy lovers.

It’s so quick and easy to send that special someone an e-card instead of going to Hallmark to pick out an actual one. It’s tempting to order a gift online rather than heading to the mall to shop in person. It’s convenient to tweet a sweet message to that special someone rather than writing one on paper.

But just because social media makes holidays more convenient doesn’t necessarily mean it makes them more special. I would much rather receive a thoughtful, handwritten card that a digital one with neon flashing roses that my boyfriend typed three words into.  And I think most people would agree.

So where do we go from here? I think it is crucial for us to remember that, although it’s perfectly acceptable to integrate social media into our relationships, it is key to make our reliance on this tool a small aspect of them rather than a controlling force.

After all, it was only a few years ago that people managed to make Valentine’s Day a memorable holiday for their loved ones without turning to Google for ideas. Therefore, I’m fairly confident that channeling our creative juices instead of 300 of our Facebook friends for ideas will put us in a good place for this upcoming celebration of love.