Opinion
Swamped February, what to expect
February 10, 2012
As I am sure all of you already know, people all across America gathered around their TVs this past Sunday to tune in to the Super Bowl.
No matter what team is playing each year, everyone is eager for this huge event and to see who gets the NFL title. Other people, like me, could probably care less about football and would rather tune in to something like the Puppy Bowl, complete with the “kitty half time.” Who doesn’t want to watch a bunch of cute, furry animals running around on a tiny field for two straight hours? But February is not only a month for football. This month every year turns out to be a very eventful month for people around the world. There is the Super Bowl, yes, but there is also Valentine’s Day, the awards season in Hollywood, and a look to see exactly when spring will be arriving this year.
Valentine’s Day, short for St. Valentine’s Day, is celebrated annually on Feb. 14. Most people around the world know that the holiday is associated with love and commercialism, but none of that would be possible without an historical background. Originally, the holiday was observed to honor one or more of the early Christian martyrs that went by the name of St. Valentine. The holiday first became associated with love and affection in the High Middle Ages within the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer. It was during this time period that the tradition of courtly love blossomed and became common. The holiday centering on love was established in 496 A.D. by Pope Gelasius I. During the English Renaissance on Valentine’s Day 1400, the law courts of England established a language of love referred to as the “High Court of Love.” This court dealt with love contracts, betrayals, and violence against women. These days, Valentine’s Day is simply celebrated by sending greeting cards and sharing affection for a significant other by sending gifts or going on a date.
One of my fondest memories of Valentine’s Day is likely shared with many other college students, and that is the parties in elementary school. Every year I looked forward to taking a pause in my day to hand out little cards with movie characters or dinosaurs on them to my classmates. Everyone loves the free candy on holidays, and Valentine’s Day became a major holiday for a sugar rush after a stressful day of addition and reading a chapter book.
Another part of both January and February that I always look forward to are the award shows going on in Hollywood. It is fun to not only see who wins each award, but also to see what dresses each actress is wearing and the recurring style among celebrities. The next awards show coming up is the Grammy Awards this Sunday, Feb. 12. The Grammys are always a popular awards show, and this year, there are many talented artists up for an award. One band that deserves a Grammy is Coldplay. Their new album, “Mylo Xyloto” was nominated for “Album of the Year.” If you have not yet heard this album, I would strongly recommend for you to listen to it. It is phenomenal. Another one of my picks for the year is Mumford and Sons, who are up for “Record of the Year” for their album “The Cave.” I pay a lot of attention to the alternative and acoustic artists, and my pick for “Alternative Album of the Year” would definitely have to be Death Cab for Cutie for their most recent album, “Codes and Keys.” Other nominees include Adele, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Bon Iver and Lady Gaga.
It may still be cold in February, but a lot is going on during the month. Be sure to take advantage of everything going on, followed by cookies and a nice hot cup of hot chocolate!
Cristin Dempsey is an English major and music minor from Eagan, Minn. She enjoys writing, playing the flute and swimming. After college she would like to pursue a career as an editor.