Episode 56: Valentine’s Day in the United States

[00:00:00] Welcome to English, please, the podcast where we explore interesting topics in under 10 minutes in clear intermediate English. I’m your host Christopher. I live in New York City, and I’ve always been passionate about languages and how we learn them. Whether you’re listening on your way to work or while cooking dinner at home, this show is designed to help you with your English listening and comprehension skills.

Thanks so much for being here. Valentine’s Day was last week, and New York City always does something special with it. Flower vendors were on many street corners, restaurants were booked days in advance, and red hearts were in many shop windows. It made me think [00:01:00] Valentine’s Day in the United States is actually a fascinating cultural moment, and I wanted to share it with you while it’s still fresh.

As in most places around the world, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th in the United States. But what does it really mean here, and why do Americans take it so seriously? Today, we’re going to explore the holiday, where it comes from, how Americans celebrate it, and what it tells us about American culture.

Let’s start with a little history. Valentine’s Day has roots going back hundreds of years to Europe. The holiday is named after Saint Valentine, though historians are not completely sure which Saint Valentine, because there were several. What we do know is that by the Middle Ages, February 14th had become associated with love [00:02:00] and romance in England and France. The idea spread over time and eventually came to the United States, where it became one of the biggest shopping holidays of the year.

And “shopping” is exactly the right word. Americans spend an enormous amount of money on Valentine’s Day. In fact, billions of dollars every year. The most popular gifts are flowers, especially red roses, boxes of chocolate, greeting cards, and jewelry. Restaurants are often fully booked days in advance. Couples want to celebrate with a special dinner, so they plan ahead. It’s very big business.

But Valentine’s Day in the United States is not just for romantic couples. That’s something that surprises many people from other countries. In American [00:03:00] schools, children exchange Valentine’s cards with the entire class, not just with one special person. It’s meant to be inclusive, so no child feels left out. Children often bring small cards, sometimes with candy attached, for each of their classmates. This tradition starts when children are very young and continues through elementary school.

Adults also celebrate Valentine’s Day with friends and family, and not just romantic partners. In recent years, the idea of “Galentine’s Day” has become very popular. The name is a combination of “gal,” which is an informal word for a female friend, and “Valentine,” and this gives us “Galentine’s Day.” It’s celebrated on February 13th, the day before Valentine’s Day, [00:04:00] and it’s a time when women celebrate their female friendships. It started as a joke on a television show, but it’s become a real tradition that many people now enjoy.

So what does Valentine’s Day tell us about American culture?First, Americans are generally comfortable expressing emotion openly, saying”I love you,” giving gifts, and celebrating relationships are things that are not seen as embarrassing or private. They’re encouraged! Second, Americans love a holiday, especially when there is shopping. Flower shops, candy companies, greeting card companies, and restaurants all benefit a lot from February 14th.

Of course, some people criticize this saying the holiday has become too focused on money and has lost its meaning. [00:05:00] But others don’t mind at all because they enjoy having a reason to celebrate.

And if you’re single on Valentine’s Day? In the United States, that’s okay, too. Many people treat it as just another day, or they celebrate with friends. There’s even a growing tradition of watching movies, ordering food for delivery, and simply enjoying your own company on February 14th. The holiday has become flexible enough to include everyone in some way.

One last thing, and this connects directly to what I do here on English, please. Learning about holidays like Valentine’s Day, is a great way to understand the culture behind the language, and that makes your English conversations richer and more natural.

Speaking of natural English, I wanted to announce that I recently started a YouTube channel, where I share short, practical English lessons, my [00:06:00] latest video covers six more adverbs that English speakers use every day. It goes well with this podcast, and you can find the link in the show notes. I hope you’ll check it out!

And if you want more organized listening practice, the English Listening Accelerator is a complete workbook with 10 lessons, audio exercises, and a full answer key. You can try a free sample lesson at comullen.com/listen. That’s C-O-M-U-L-L-E-N dot com slash listen.

Again, I’m Christopher and I want to invite you to join me in future episodes of English, please to hear about a variety of topics, all focused on helping you with your English. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts, and let’s continue this adventure together in clear, understandable English.

Sincere thanks as always for your support.

See you [00:07:00] soon!