Newswise — We're barely into the new year, but Valentine's Day cards are already out in force at many stores. There's a reason for that. "Next to Christmas, Valentine's Day is the biggest holiday for greeting card retailers," says Prof. Janet Wagner, the associate chair of marketing at Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. Wagner says that while some 80% of Americans report they send a card to their significant other, men do most of the gift buying. "Men who buy Valentine's gifts spend three to four times as much as women, on the average," she says.
And while adults happily exchange cards, The director of Maryland's Center for Children, Relationships and Culture (College of Education)- Professor Ken Rubin - says the exchange of Valentine's Day cards in the classroom or school can be troublesome. "There are distinctions that the sender can make that says to the recipient, 'I don't really like you.' For the 25 percent of students in a typical classroom who are openly rejected by other kids, this is more salt in a wound."
American Studies Associate Professor Sheri Parks says in many ways, relationships today are based on popular culture infused with a heavy dose of advertising. She says it's the way we measure ourselves during holidays like Valentine's Day. "For example, if there's no card that reflects how we feel, then we feel sad. The cards have become the benchmark for the day," she says. "If popular culture defines what counts as romance, and we accept that, then it says something about our relationships."
The University of Maryland has a number of faculty experts who can talk about every aspect of Valentine's Day - from the economics of the day to the history of celebrating love going back to Roman times, the impact of the Internet and ways to say "thank you." Our 2007 list is broken down by areas of expertise from the economic impact to Valentine's humor. We also offer the Valentine's Day list as an expanded "Hot Topic" in our online and searchable database of faculty experts. Feel free to contact any of our experts directly.
Valentine's Day Expert's List: http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/culture/release.cfm?ArticleID=1386
Valentine's Day "Hot Topic" list:http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/experts/hottopic.cfm?hotlist_id=68
Sample Quotes:
Prof. Sheri Parks (American Studies)"Popular culture, thanks to a heavy dose of advertising, has come to define how we feel about our relationships and how we measure ourselves during holidays like Valentine's Day. For example, if there's no card that reflects how we feel, then we feel sad. The cards have become the benchmark for the day."
Prof. Janet Wagner (Smith School of Business)"More than 80% of Americans report that they send a card to a significant other. Valentine's Day is also important to retailers of flowers, candy, and jewelry. In the service category, more than half of all couples report that they spend the evening out on Valentine's Day."
Prof. (Emeritus) Larry Mintz (American Studies)On male-female humor: "The bulk of male-female humor is very negative. I like to tell my classes that it is easy for marital to become martial with just the blink of an 'i.' As far back as Rip Van Winkle, marriage has been portrayed as a trap for men and oppression for women."
Prof. Melinda Chateauvert (African American Studies)"Sexual freedom is a human rights issue because love, caring and communion allow us to celebrate, create and explore the full variety of life's joys."
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