Valentine’s Day: Everyone wants a little love

LAHORE: Lahore saw Valentine’s Day celebrated in its ‘traditional’ manner with much gusto and fanfare. Couples, young and old, were spotted buying gifts, flowers and cards. Shopkeepers, of course, were delighted with the turn-out and were busy haggling with their patrons and wrapping gifts.

Not only were gifts being bought but many couples spent the evening roaming with the loved ones in local parks, some with a rose in their hand.

Liberty Market was thronged as the clock struck 12 at midnight. On Sundays Liberty Market is usually quiet and desolated. Not so this past Sunday. Shops were open, brightly lit and crammed with goodies and crowds pushing one another to get the best deal, the freshest flowers and the cutest stuffed toys. Cars passing by were bedecked in the colour of the day-red roses and red balloons were seen on many vehicles. Liberty Road was littered with balloon carts flagging cars down to stuff them with balloons, for a modest price of course.

University student Maria Tasneem told The Express Tribune that she had come to buy a bouquet of flowers for her boyfriend and that Valentine’s Day was a great days to ignore life’s problems, be with friends and relax. Every day should be Valentine’s, said the excited student.

Shaham Zia, a student at the Punjab College of Commerce, said that Valentine’s does not come everyday and surely couples deserve to celebrate it once a year.

She said she had given a card and flowers to her boyfriend Touseef. Touseef confirmed that he had been the recipient of Zia’s affections and disclosed that he had reciprocated in kind with flowers and a card. They stressed that young people should celebrate the day but not cross certain limits.

Aitchison College student Taha said making plans for Valentine’s fills people up with joy. The young man thought exchanging flowers was a good way of expressing one’s sentiments for another.

Four-year-old Furqan said that his tender age meant that he had no girlfriend, yet. However, not one to be left behind, the precocious child had come with his parents to Mini-Market to buy them flowers. Furqan stressed that Valentine’s must be celebrated.

Newly-wed Dr Faizan said he was ‘ordered’ by his wife to buy her ‘red’ flowers so that she could celebrate Valentine’s Day. The doctor said that he saw no harm in celebrating the day as long it was all in good fun and within social norms.

The evening saw various hotels and restaurants trying their best to entice customers with special deals to mark the day. Cellular phone companies also joined the fray and offered deals to wish loved ones. St Valentine would have been proud.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2011.