Chronicle Editor
Blessing Karubwa, Features Reporter
FEBRUARY is regarded as the month of love and most retailers and gift shops in Bulawayo have increased their love merchandise represented by the colour of love – red, which is associated with St Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. Most shops in the city have started wrapping an assortment of gifts and preparing hampers that love birds will be purchasing as they celebrate love.
Everywhere in town especially in many gift shops the writing is on the wall, bold and clear and it seems the air is filled with love.
For the reason that there is Valentine’s Day, the month February, has long been associated with romance, a month thought to mark the beginning of the mating season for birds.
The day originated as a Christian feast honouring a Christian martyr named Saint Valentine who, through later folk traditions, has become a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.
Although Valentine’s Day is a day when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts, the holiday has expanded to express affection between relatives and friends.
Teenagers seem to be the age group most worried about celebrating the day as they try to impress their lovers through gifts.
Some people however, for one reason or another say they have never celebrated Valentine’s Day while others say they have celebrated it a lot.
For Mrs Simanyene Mlilo (30), Valentine’s Day is a normal day for her and her loved one although she intends to do something special for him this year.
“Initially I used to celebrate Valentine’s Day but as I grew older and older, I began to consider the day just like other normal days.
On the other hand, I have discovered that there are people who always value the day although me and my love believe that every day is a Valentine’s Day. My husband always buys me cakes, he knows that I like them so he doesn’t wait for Valentine’s Day to make me happy and so do I,” said Mrs Mlilo.
The mother of three said during the old days she used to go on a trip to Victoria Falls to enjoy with her children. This was during the early years of her marriage. Her views were echoed by Mrs Florence Nyoni (60) who said love should be celebrated every day.
“People must desist from showing love when it’s the month of February because they would be anticipating presents from their loved ones. Love must be practised and celebrated every day. I always express my love every day,” she said.
Miss Hilda Joko (28) shared the similar views although she said she will not enjoy the day because she is single.
“I last enjoyed Valentine’s Day in 2018, by then I had finished my Ordinary Level. I am now a mother of two; I no longer care about the day.
I now believe it’s for teenagers, not for us parents but I am happy for those who will get gifts, it’s actually their time. I will not judge for them, whether it’s good to celebrate or not, people have different perceptions and beliefs,” said Miss Joko.
However, a student at National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Pretty Ncube (22) believes that Valentine’s Day is a bad day for some of the girls.
“Valentine’s Day will make us commit suicide because we’ll be comparing ourselves with others. As girls we compete too much, we like to be seen with presents that would have been bought by our lovers.
Some of us would be knowing that our partners do not have money even for buying us presents but we will still expect presents from them, a situation which leads to depression after receiving nothing from them,” said Miss Ncube. She urged people to accept their situations and not stress over things they don’t afford.
People in rural areas say they always see posts and hear about the day on social media. Mbongeni Nsingo (20) from Bambanani village in Gwanda District in Matabeleland South province believes that Valentine’s Day is for people in urban areas.
“We have always seen posts on WhatsApp people joking about Valentine’s Day. I know that there is such a day but I have never celebrated it in my life.
I have been in more than three relationships but I have never celebrated the day. Akusizinto zami lezo (It’s not my thing). The last time I saw people concerned about the day was when I was at high school when my colleagues were trying to impress their girlfriends,” said Mr Nsingo. He said he spends the day just like other days.
“Even girls in rural areas don’t usually ask for the presents. It’s not like they do not know about the day, they know but to them it’s not very important as it is to their counterparts in town,” said Mr Nsingo.
For Qhelisa Sibanda (19) from Lobengula in Bulawayo, Valentine’s Day is one of his best days. He says he is looking forward to spending a lot of money with his partner to make her happy.
“My girlfriend stays in Tshabalala, I will take her to the city centre and make her choose whatever she wants. I want to make her feel like a queen, almost like an empress.
I shall be buying things for her. This month is a month of showing love to our lovers, people should find ways of impressing theirs.
“As for teenagers I am assured that relationships are moving smoothly these days because girls are trying to root their love so that they get presents from their lovers,” says Sibanda. However, Mr Blessed Dube (26), said religion prevents him from marking Valentine’s Day.
“It is unscriptural and I do not believe in it. I have never seen it in the Bible. Christians should do things that they are sure of. Even the person that I am in a relationship with doesn’t believe in Valentine’s Day,” said Mr Dube.
A teenager from Luveve suburb in Bulawayo, Prisca Mpala (17), said she is impatiently waiting for the day.
“I can’t wait for the day! I know my boyfriend will buy me presents. We’ll enjoy not only eating but it’s the day that we have set aside to spend time together,” she said.
Some gift shops in Bulawayo began the month of February with wrapped red merchandise, a way of communicating that it’s now a month of love that the world is looking forward to.
However, some have not yet put the commodities on stock because they say people still have pressure as they prepare for schools opening.
A marketing coordinator at one of the city’s supermarket chain, Mrs Prashmah Kazembe, says February is the month of love and she believes people should give gifts not only to their lovers but also to their families and friends.
“Even before we talk about Valentine’s Day, I believe the whole month is a month of love, giving gifts so I believe people should give their loved ones presents.
It shouldn’t just be about couples; it should be about families as well. It’s good to just buy a hamper for your family, maybe a grocery hamper and give to your mother because it’s a month of giving, not only for lovers but also for family and friends,”
She said commodities that speak to the day are already available in their supermarket and other shops in town. – @ TichaKarubwa
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