Valentine's Day means celebration, not conspicuous consumption

TUESDAY WAS VALENTINE'S Day, a day when young men and women fret about not only what words of endearment are appropriate, or even what kind of promises to make, but also where to eat and what gift to buy their significant other. Beijing News commented on Tuesday:

Businessmen who are good at turning all holidays into shopping carnivals have already begun to turn the day into a commercial jamboree. All the discounts and sales promotions for the day overwhelmingly imply that those who are single should feel inferior because they are not spending money on a loved one.

Through the different ways of celebrating Valentine's Day, a non-public holiday, we can still see the different cultures and temperament. In Europe, where St. Valentine's Day originated as a Christian liturgical feast day honoring one or more early saints named Valentinus, the day has more of a holiday vibe.