Flowers, heart shaped chocolates, candy, silks, expensive drinks, overpriced in the lead-up to the big day. I was in shops around town the other day and hey…the love mood has already struck most of the zones in the city.

Walk through any mall, or stop at the market to pick up a six pack and you’ll be welcomed by cheery hearts, flowers and floating cupids enticing you to purchase sinfully delicious or luxurious items.

Valentine’s Day has long been seen as a day of romance, a day to show   one’s partner how much you love them. However; the true meaning is being lost due to a lot of expectations.

Valentine’s Day is and can be a very special day to share time, love, and affection. Unfortunately, this romantic holiday is sometimes overshadowed by stress and the pressure to please.

Women vastly expect an extra ordinary treat from their lovers, while men make an effort to thrill their sweethearts and fulfill the promises. Some plan to tell the ones they secretly admire how much they love them. It’s all drama.

People’s hearts are now racing. It’s only a few days to go, they have to meet the deadline. Yesterday I witnessed the pressures with my own eyes. This man is in a shop probably looking for what to surprise the lover with…

"Would she like this? Would she like that? Panic was written all over him as he tried to get what could please the spouse. And so are you!

Diogene Nkotanyi is in a relationship,.To him, Valentines’ is a day, to express the most affection to a beloved but in a bid to impress, and pressure comes in.

"Personally am not pressurized bywhat I have to buy even when I don’t have money, I worry about how best I should surprise her.”

As Valentines draws closer, people become naïve about each other.Likes, dislikes….. Suddenly, they can’t know what pleases or displeases him/her. No wonder many breakups happen on the very day.

As for Vanessa Umutoni, a university student the biggest nightmare that comes with Val’s day is being dumped.

"Its not that I distrust my fiancée, this happens all the time. Many get disappointed on val’s day,” she affirms.

And with couples that barely trust each other, Valentines Day is hell. Probably some couples don’t know they will be together on Valentines Day hence the phobia that some will be dumped and cheated on.

As for teenagers without girl/boy friends, they will trudge villages seeking for a valentine.

The whole drama reminds me of scenes in high school; boys spending all their pocket money to buy their girl friends necklaces, flowers, chocolates, they would rather stay broke, all in the name of showing care and love.

Teens…try by by all means to fit in. Talk of the red and black attire, they will have to look for every detail that can make them recognized. Imagine a scene where a 12 year old buys a red sweet for the girl, then seals Valentines with a kiss! It really is a movie…

That’s how crazy valentine’s day can get.

Ends