Meh, invention seems something a tad more in tentional. I think nature sort of gave us the solstices, we used them for some reason or another, but then they were too far apart and that's when we invented holidays.
But christmas is the 25th. The winter solstice is not a set day. They did steal some of the ways pagans celebrated the actual solstice, tho, cuz they knew what they did for "fun" was hella lame and it was the only way to trick pagans into joining their cult.
I don't care for romance personally but if other people want to celebrate their love for each other why should I have a problem it? The world is miserable enough. Let people enjoy things.
Exactly. Your significant other isn’t guilt tripping you into spending money on Presidents’ Day. Easy holiday to ignore versus our society having emotional breakdowns because they were forgotten on Valentine’s Day or their partner didn’t do enough to make them feel special.
I don't think it's a dumb, made up holiday, just a dumb holiday that nobody cared about until Americanism swept it into my country and I'm inclined to disacknowledge just about all of those.
Isn't the same true of, like, Diwali or Chinese New Year, or Eid al adha?
People make a big deal about holidays, pretty much regardless of cultural origin or economic system. And then the merchants will tend to accommodate the way people in whatever culture celebrate that.
Valentine's probably doesn't even crack the top 10 in terms of holidays that change my behavior or spending, and I say that as someone who genuinely likes to do something for my wife on Valentine's. There's the major cultural ones (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, New Year's) and then the legal ones (Memorial Day and Labor Day) that are nice to plan long weekends or barbecues around.
I'm ace. Fuck Valentine's day. I'm as used to getting human coupling shoved in my face as I can possibly get, but today just reminds me how much of an outlier I am.
Asexuality is the one sexuality no one talks about, ever.
I think what the person you're replying to was hinting at is the common understanding (at least among those with queer-awareness) of the difference between sexuality and romance.
A person could be asexual but still be in a romantic relationship that positively engages with Valentine's Day.
I commisserate with your awful experience as a child, and that picking up the label of "asexual" probably simplifies the dialogue of explaining your situation. It sounds like your trauma affects you in ways that you are effectively asexual (and possibly aromantic). I'm not a mental health expert, just friends with queer people.
But people will be pedantic about this topic, unfortunately. You're hitting a cross-heading of people that feel strongly about the specific definitions of these sexualities because of how much dis/misinformation there is from bad actors. There is also the reverse-reasoning that asexuality is because of something, like trauma, instead of a naturally-occuring sexuality.
I don't write this to demean you, invalidate your experiences, or even to "teach" you, but to hopefully highlight a context from which you and some well-meaning person might align yourselves as opponents.
Bojack Horseman has some good rep, but before that, yeah, I can't think of anything off the top of my head. An explicit "Ace day" seems silly unless pitched as a self-care day, I guess?
It's an amazing show with excellent insight. It is silly and lighthearted at times, and an emotional baseball bat to the face at others.
I've heard it can trigger depression.
I mean, it's not like a cursed video tape that kills you, but your mental state may fall a few notches. If you don't feel emotionally stable, bojack is not a good watch. Take breaks if you need. The later seasons get HEAVY.
I highly recommend it and also never plan to watch it again.
In the US holidays are for capitalism selling its products. Often it is candy, liquor, cut flowers, or some combination, oh and decorations, cards, themed clothing...
Let it sink in that the US love to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Specifically, white, conservative voting Americans love to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, a day that they will tell you is the Mexican 4th of July, as they get piss drunk on Corona light.
Gifts, feasts, decorations, and music are a pretty universal human experience, so I doubt it's capitalism to blame for the way we Americans celebrate holidays.
It used to be a Christian feast day honoring martyrs, so it’s just a real as Christmas. It was 100% cannibalized by capitalism, whereas the religious component remains for some who celebrate Christmas.
We can be pretty loose with our usage of "holiday" in the US. Like some others said, this one is basically just peer pressure for consumerism, lol. Nobody gets the day off work or anything like that.
I mean, I think it would be awesome if Valentine's day were a federal holiday where we all stay home and focus on those closest to us. So in addition to romantic couples, that includes self-care for folks living alone and family time for those of us with kids.
But in 2026 that idea also sounds profoundly un-American. Fuck. Some of us are still trying to be decent humans in functioning communities.
53 Comments
Triumph@fedia.io · 161 pts · 216d
To be fair, the equinoxes and solstices are found in nature.
Seleni@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 216d
But also, to be technical about it, the holidays actually celebrating them are still a human invention.
Dasus@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 215d
Meh, invention seems something a tad more in tentional. I think nature sort of gave us the solstices, we used them for some reason or another, but then they were too far apart and that's when we invented holidays.
dumples@piefed.social · 4 pts · 216d
Really the only ones
TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world · 38 pts · 216d
Lunar new years?
The harvest?
dumples@piefed.social · 3 pts · 216d
I would say something lunar based would be natural.
The harvest would depend on the plant. You can really harvest something most of the year
TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 216d
If you are in the northern hemisphere, the vast majority of plants go dormant almost all around the same time.
Triumph@fedia.io · 2 pts · 216d
Leap Day?
dumples@piefed.social · 10 pts · 216d
Weird calendar to season mismatch.
Triumph@fedia.io · 2 pts · 216d
Perhaps not a holiday in the strictest sense, but definitely because of a natural occurrence
dadarobot@lemmy.sdf.org · 7 pts · 216d
what is the natural occurrence? the calendar is not part of nature. its basically a rounding error.
Triumph@fedia.io · 2 pts · 216d
The number of days do not align with a single revolution around the sun.
dadarobot@lemmy.sdf.org · 3 pts · 216d
yeah actually you are right. my bad.
jaybone@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 216d
But the calendar itself is artificial.
Crazyslinkz@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 216d
Solar or lunar eclipse?
dumples@piefed.social · 2 pts · 216d
Are those holidays?
egrets@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 216d
And by extension, Yule and Christmas, Ēosturmōnaþ and Easter, Samhain and Hallowe'en.
Crazyslinkz@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 216d
hesh@quokk.au · 44 pts · 216d
Made up by cultural heritage VS made up by capitalism
MissJinx@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 216d
I only care about hollidays I don't have to.work
Abedtime@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 215d
Capitalism is cultural heritage atp
abbotsbury@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 215d
I am racist against capitalists.
_stranger_@lemmy.world · 33 pts · 216d
The Solstices: Am I a joke to you?
Siethron@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 216d
I'm partial to the the Vernal Equinox
Kolanaki@pawb.social · 2 pts · 216d
Other than witch covens, who celebrates those as holidays?
hperrin@lemmy.ca · 5 pts · 216d
Christians. They just call it Christmas, do it a few days later, and don’t admit that it’s a celebration of the winter solstice.
Kolanaki@pawb.social · 2 pts · 216d
But christmas is the 25th. The winter solstice is not a set day. They did steal some of the ways pagans celebrated the actual solstice, tho, cuz they knew what they did for "fun" was hella lame and it was the only way to trick pagans into joining their cult.
Johnmannesca@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 216d
Easter is a pretty similar story actually
bestagon@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 215d
You’re not in a coven?
explodicle@sh.itjust.works · 0 pts · 216d
Christians
lightnsfw@reddthat.com · 32 pts · 216d
I don't care for romance personally but if other people want to celebrate their love for each other why should I have a problem it? The world is miserable enough. Let people enjoy things.
Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 26 pts · 216d
I found my people.
I can't stand this day. It actually took me a few years to get my husband to believe me, I don't want anything, and I don't celebrate this holiday.
I don't need corporate amerikkka to tell me when or how to love, while charging me for the privledge to buy landfill trash.
I love my partner every day, and we celebrate that on our anniversary.
Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works · 19 pts · 216d
Winter solstice: am I a joke to you?
Pacattack57@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 216d
The difference is that Valentines Day is a corporate holiday to get you to spend money. Versus Presidents’ Day which is nothing
agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 216d
The only time I ever hear about President's Day is advertisements for President's Day sales.
Pacattack57@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 215d
Exactly. Your significant other isn’t guilt tripping you into spending money on Presidents’ Day. Easy holiday to ignore versus our society having emotional breakdowns because they were forgotten on Valentine’s Day or their partner didn’t do enough to make them feel special.
aeronmelon@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 216d
Day of the Dead can stay, because it’s awesome.
schnokobaer@feddit.org · 11 pts · 216d
I don't think it's a dumb, made up holiday, just a dumb holiday that nobody cared about until Americanism swept it into my country and I'm inclined to disacknowledge just about all of those.
Rooster326@programming.dev · 5 pts · 216d
It isn't Americanism.
It's Capitalism.
Valentine's day is propped up by so many industries.
exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 216d
Isn't the same true of, like, Diwali or Chinese New Year, or Eid al adha?
People make a big deal about holidays, pretty much regardless of cultural origin or economic system. And then the merchants will tend to accommodate the way people in whatever culture celebrate that.
Valentine's probably doesn't even crack the top 10 in terms of holidays that change my behavior or spending, and I say that as someone who genuinely likes to do something for my wife on Valentine's. There's the major cultural ones (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, New Year's) and then the legal ones (Memorial Day and Labor Day) that are nice to plan long weekends or barbecues around.
ObtuseDoorFrame@lemmy.zip · 6 pts · 216d
I'm ace. Fuck Valentine's day. I'm as used to getting human coupling shoved in my face as I can possibly get, but today just reminds me how much of an outlier I am.
Asexuality is the one sexuality no one talks about, ever.
eneff@discuss.tchncs.de · 10 pts · 216d
What does valentines day have to do with sexuality? I thought it was about love.
ObtuseDoorFrame@lemmy.zip · 0 pts · 216d
qarbone@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 215d
I think what the person you're replying to was hinting at is the common understanding (at least among those with queer-awareness) of the difference between sexuality and romance.
A person could be asexual but still be in a romantic relationship that positively engages with Valentine's Day.
I commisserate with your awful experience as a child, and that picking up the label of "asexual" probably simplifies the dialogue of explaining your situation. It sounds like your trauma affects you in ways that you are effectively asexual (and possibly aromantic). I'm not a mental health expert, just friends with queer people.
But people will be pedantic about this topic, unfortunately. You're hitting a cross-heading of people that feel strongly about the specific definitions of these sexualities because of how much dis/misinformation there is from bad actors. There is also the reverse-reasoning that asexuality is because of something, like trauma, instead of a naturally-occuring sexuality.
I don't write this to demean you, invalidate your experiences, or even to "teach" you, but to hopefully highlight a context from which you and some well-meaning person might align yourselves as opponents.
marzhall@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 216d
Bojack Horseman has some good rep, but before that, yeah, I can't think of anything off the top of my head. An explicit "Ace day" seems silly unless pitched as a self-care day, I guess?
ObtuseDoorFrame@lemmy.zip · 0 pts · 216d
Death Stranding, a little. Sam isn't ace, but because of what happened in his past he can't be touched and avoids human contact.
Maybe it's time for me to finally watch Bojack. I've always avoided it because I've heard it can trigger depression. But maybe it's time.
SkyezOpen@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 216d
It's an amazing show with excellent insight. It is silly and lighthearted at times, and an emotional baseball bat to the face at others.
I mean, it's not like a cursed video tape that kills you, but your mental state may fall a few notches. If you don't feel emotionally stable, bojack is not a good watch. Take breaks if you need. The later seasons get HEAVY.
I highly recommend it and also never plan to watch it again.
RoidingOldMan@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 216d
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaeVq9DGAvc
(should give you an idea of the negativity of the show)
U7826391786239@lemmy.zip · 5 pts · 217d
Babalugats@feddit.uk · 5 pts · 217d
Is valentine's Day a holiday in some parts of the world?
TIL.
Pat_Riot@lemmy.today · 14 pts · 216d
In the US holidays are for capitalism selling its products. Often it is candy, liquor, cut flowers, or some combination, oh and decorations, cards, themed clothing...
Let it sink in that the US love to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Specifically, white, conservative voting Americans love to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, a day that they will tell you is the Mexican 4th of July, as they get piss drunk on Corona light.
Or how we treat St. Paddy's here...
exasperation@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 0 pts · 216d
Gifts, feasts, decorations, and music are a pretty universal human experience, so I doubt it's capitalism to blame for the way we Americans celebrate holidays.
starik@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 216d
It used to be a Christian feast day honoring martyrs, so it’s just a real as Christmas. It was 100% cannibalized by capitalism, whereas the religious component remains for some who celebrate Christmas.
Zink@programming.dev · 2 pts · 216d
We can be pretty loose with our usage of "holiday" in the US. Like some others said, this one is basically just peer pressure for consumerism, lol. Nobody gets the day off work or anything like that.
I mean, I think it would be awesome if Valentine's day were a federal holiday where we all stay home and focus on those closest to us. So in addition to romantic couples, that includes self-care for folks living alone and family time for those of us with kids.
But in 2026 that idea also sounds profoundly un-American. Fuck. Some of us are still trying to be decent humans in functioning communities.
RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 216d
Yes, I know. You just said that like 5 posts back.
sparkles@piefed.zip · 1 pts · 216d
TimboSlice@discuss.online · 1 pts · 216d
Hallmark Day