This story originally appeared on themedialine.org.
Despite financial crises, budget shortages and protests over funds withheld, West Bank sales of flowers, perfumes, and chocolates are expected to soar as Palestinians prepare to celebrate Valentine’s Day on Saturday.
It’s nothing new according to old-timers who recall marking “love day” every February 14th since the 1950s.
Nancy Sabra, 52, who owns “She and He,” a shop in the city of Jenin, was already adorned with a Valentine-red scarf when she told The Media Line that she’s been “preparing for this year’s event for a month.” But as a merchant, she fears it will be difficult to move her high-end merchandise because the typical Valentine Day buyers are “young people buying gifts for their lovers who are looking for something less expensive than last year.”
Mohaned Araaf, high school student from Nablus who was in the shop explained his own dilemma. “I am always asking what the perfect gift to celebrate Valentine Day is and I am really confused. This is my first Valentine Day.” Araaf finally he decided to buy his girl fiend a gold earring with a small heart inside.
Nevertheless, the public displays of Cupids, hearts and flowers do not sit well with everyone. According to Birzeit University sociology Professor Modal Casis, even though Palestinians have celebrated annually for decades, it is still being viewed as taboo for some families.
“Some people misunderstand this holiday and believe that it promotes forbidden relations between young men and women, forgetting that the expression of love is not limited to single men and women,” Casis told The Media Line, adding that celebrating has become “unavoidable” because of the intensity of social networking sites promoting Valentine’s Day.
The Palestinian Bureau of Statistics predicts that this year’s Valentine Day sales will not exceed $26,000, a noticeable decline from last year.
A traditional Valentine bouquet of roses will be selling for between $10 and $15, while stuffed bears will bring anywhere from $7 to $85, depending on the size and quality, and boxes of chocolate are always in demand.
In Ramallah, the five-star Movenpick Hotel begins Valentine Day celebrations two days early with a gala event featuring a DJ and dance floor that will accommodate some 200 couples at what young Palestinians see at about $50 a head as an offer not to be missed. The hotel offers specials on accommodations as well, but that’s where the economic realities set in. Illustrating the point is the comparison to last year’s event for which 250 guests paid $100 each.
Ramallah Mayor Moussa Hadad has been married since the age of twelve. He told The Media Line that flowers are still the best gift for his wife. “This year, too, [the flowers] will make her smile more beautiful than usual.
