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- Valentine's Day is a popular holiday for couples that dates back to the 1300s.
- Throughout history, this holiday has been celebrated by couples but, more so, the women in the relationships.
- However, a survey has proven that men enjoy celebrating the holiday and getting showered with gifts too.
Valentine's Day has been a globally celebrated say for lovers for many centuries. According to History, the origin of Valentines comes from English poet Geoffrey Chaucer, who was the first to record St. Valentine's Day as a day of romantic celebration.
In his 1375 poem 'Parliament of Foules', he wrote, 'For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne's Day/Whan every foul cometh there to choose his mate.'
This tradition has been modernised, and most assume it is a day when women get showered with large bouquets of roses and chocolates, alluding that men don't need to be spoiled on the day.
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However, according to theNew York Post,a 2019 survey by OnePoll found that men were more demanding than women when it came to Valentine's Day expectations. This begs the question, 'Do men care about Valentine's Day? If so, what do they have to say about it?
One social media user took toQuora to find out, and the comment section was flooded with eye-opening responses. Curious to know more from local men, we asked a few guys the same question and here's what they had to say.
Do men like to celebrate Valentine's Day?
I cannot speak for all men, but I, for one, do like to celebrate Valentine's Day. What's not to like about taking a day to celebrate your relationship with your special someone?
Donovan
I personally like the holiday, but I'm a bit biased. I got married on that day. Valentine's Day is a perfect opportunity to show the important people in your life how much you really care for them. We get too few opportunities to show the special people in our lives what they really mean to us.
Michael
I love celebrating Valentine's Day with my partner. Regardless of it being a day everyone is expected to shower their partner with love and gifts, it feels like celebrating Halloween, another holiday we love participating in.
Mpendulo
I'm the type of man who enjoys doing the cliché little things in a relationship, and Valentine's Day is no exception. I go all out, and so does my partner. On behalf of every man - We want gifts too.
Chris
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As a black South African man who believed in the annual 'fake' men's conference, this year, I don't want to participate in any of that; I want to celebrate Valentine's with my partner.
Bonga
It is all dependent on the woman you're with. If you're with a woman who you really like, then celebrating Valentine's Day shouldn't be a problem, but if you're not that much into that woman, you don't see Valentine's Day as a big deal.
Tumi
My love language is gifts, so Valentine's Day is one of my favourite holidays to celebrate. I get showered with thoughtful gifts by my special lady, and I do the same. Spending time together on the day allows me to love her in her love language, too, which is quality time.
Khulekani
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Now that we have discovered that men do love celebrating Valentine's Day, here's a list by Bustle on what men want for Valentine's Day.
- Tickets to a live sports match.
- Noise-cancelling wireless headphones.
- Their favourite everyday cologne.
- An everyday leather watch.
- A piece of signature jewellery.
- Keepsake photo of the two of you.
- Their favourite bottle of liquor.
- An at-home massager.
- Sexy new briefs.
- A staycation for the two of you.
Sources: History, New York Post, Quora, Bustle
