Does Valentine’s Day end with Gen Z?
By Esther Morales
With Valentine’s Day 2021 around the corner, a mix of COVID-19 and love is in the air. In spite of limitations, many are still planning their usual dinner reservations, running to buy boxes of chocolates and rose bouquets -- everyone except Gen Z? It’s no secret that Gen Z has a different way of doing things, but Valentine’s Day may be on its way to getting canceled too.
“It’s a stupid Hallmark holiday that people only celebrate because other people are celebrating it,” says 21-year-old college student Maltese Holder, “It makes you look bad if you don’t.”
Doing something special for your significant other or loved one isn’t exclusive to Feb. 14, yet Valentine’s Day is the third most commercialized holiday, raising the expectations and putting pressure on celebrators to make the day memorable. Maltese Holder, however, is one of the many members of Gen Z that isn’t cracking.
Research suggests that many young adults’ and teens’ priorities when it comes to the holiday lay elsewhere. Not only is Gen Z less preoccupied with worrying about being single, but is shelling out fewer funds and are more inclined to spend Valentine’s Day with friends over a significant other.
A recent study done by the National Retail Federation (NRF) suggests that of the Gen Zers who are actually planning to celebrate this year, only 66% are planning to buy chocolates and candy and 48% plan to buy flowers.
The difference in V-Day attitudes from Millenials and Gen Xers boils down to social and cultural values — not just having a boo. Expensive gifts and performative actions are starting to be deemed unnecessary by the younger generation who overall tend to be more pragmatic. A potential contributing factor is that Gen Z grew up during a recession rather than an economic book like Millennials.
Considering the stress brought on by the pandemic and remote learning this year in particular, Valentine’s Day is the last thing on their minds.
Tamara Hill, a 20-year-old college student shared her thoughts, (I believe quotes get their own parargaph check me on that though)“I actually forget that Valentine’s Day is a holiday until like the middle of January but I try my best every year to give love to my loved ones whether I’m in a relationship or not.”
In a recent EduBirdie survey conducted with 2,012 participants, it found that nearly 15% of Gen Zers don’t even acknowledge Feb. 14 as a holiday and think of it as just a regular day. Although the hype around Valentine’s Day isn’t as strong, the alternative Galentine’s Day, made popular from an episode of Parks and Recreation has some more excitement. The study showed that about 75% of female users expressed their plans to participate in honoring friendships on Feb. 13.
In an EduBirdie press release, Avery Morgan, Senior Editor and Director of Communications sums up some of the main findings from the study, “From our survey, we discovered that a majority of Gen Z has turned Valentine’s Day into a day of hanging out with friends. Almost half of those surveyed shared that they use Valentine’s Day as a day to get drunk and party with their single friends.”
Morgan also suggests that the overall lack of interest stems from the shared experience many Gen Zers have had with ghosting and breadcrumbing through social media and dating applications. These rising trends undoubtedly have an impact on the confidence of individuals and their views towards modern-day romance.
Despite recent trends, it’s hard not to have a soft spot for a holiday, especially if you’re celebrating it with the ones you love.
“Although it’s stupid it does feel nice to be included once in a while,” says Holder.
Even if some Gen Zers don’t have a fondness for Feb. 14, FOMO still lingers in the air. Whether you opt for traditional dinners or plan on getting drunk with a couple of friends, society’s outlook on Valentine’s Day will continue to evolve. Hill tries her best to cancel out the negative energy.
“I feel like the day is what you make it. Just because it is commercialized does not mean we cannot celebrate love.”
Geeked playlist linked below, shoutout to my girls, gays and theys ❤️️
