Valentine’s day is fast approaching. As it falls on a Sunday this year that would typically mean an entire Valentine’s weekend where every table in every restaurant you know was booked up weeks ago. As with most regular events in the past year, this time around is going to be a bit different than usual. But at the Varsity Hotel Cambridge we believe that this is merely an opportunity to ignore the fluff and get to the heart of the matter instead.
Valentine’s Already?
There has always been something of a stereotype for male behaviour regarding special dates like anniversaries. That they completely forget about them until the last moment and then panic to get something organised. Like most stereotypes, it’s usually completely untrue. But even then, it tends not to apply to Valentine’s day.
After all, on a typical year we get a lot of notice regarding Valentine’s. Almost as soon as the hangovers from Christmas and the New Year are over the shops start filling up with Valentine related items. You just can’t escape them. They’re everywhere. This certainly has the effect that no-one is going to forget about Valentine’s day. But there’s also a troubling side to this commercial aspect of Valentine’s. The implication that you can only show someone that you truly love them by purchasing lots of heart shaped junk. That somehow the worth of your relationship has a monetary value that must be displayed to the world. This is not the best mindset for maintaining a relationship. And so, it has lead many people to come to resent Valentine’s day in recent years.
Valentine’s Redefined
So perhaps this year is an opportunity to change all that. To redefine what Valentine’s day is and should be. A celebration of romantic love. Without access to all that usual stuff you see in shops this time of year, how do you show your significant other you love them? This year we’ll actually have to put some thought, time and effort into that question.
And that is brilliant. Most of us will agree that time spent with our loved ones is more important than money. That spontaneous displays of affection mean more than when it’s expected of us. Yet relationships can drift and slowly fall apart if all we do is go through the motions. Removing the crutch of Valentine’s and forcing us to think up our own ways to show that special someone how much we love them can only strengthen our relationships.
Except that there are some Valentine’s traditions which are healthy for relationships too. A romantic dinner with just the two of us is a lot more than just a meal. It’s a chance for parents to have a night off from their kids. For busy people to just stop, let the rest of the world fall away and be with the person they love.
This year we at the Varsity Hotel can’t offer a special Valentine’s day menu on the day. But we can offer gift vouchers for a romantic dinner for two at either of our restaurants. To be redeemed at a time of your choosing. We offer the opportunity to make a special night for the two of you when you want it. Not when the world says you should. And that makes it all the more special
