The metamorphoses of Valentine's Day in Ghana!

It is that time of the year again, when all lovers, friends and relations look forward to being showered with gifts of appreciation from their loved ones!

This week your exciting Chronicle Entertainment Driver brings to you the metamorphoses of Valentine's Day celebration in Ghana over the years.

Valentine's Day, which falls on the fourteenth day of the month of February, is a much awaited day all over the world, and Ghana is no exception to this anticipation.

Although the genesis of this tradition begun with the naming of a day after one early Christian martyr named Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I, in 500 AD.

It was later deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, yet its religious observance was still permitted, and has become a tradition through which lovers express their love for each other.

Some years back, on the Ghanaian scene, many observed the day wearing of red outfits as a sign of acknowledgement, however, with time, the trend died out bringing relief to many who were opposed to the idea.

While many believe love can be expressed at any point in one's life without necessarily setting aside a day for that, others were also of the view that a special day and special time set to profess love was nothing, but the best.

Those that sided with the latter are those who will not hesitate to patronise the shops during Valentine's Day, buying gifts, ranging from lingerie made and packaged in the shape of roses, hampers filled with jaw dropping contents with huge price tags, down to huge teddy bears that could pass for a one year old child in size!

Those were the days when shop owners really looked forward to increased sales right after the Christmas celebrations, but just like the disappearance of the wearing of red, that also faded out, and has been replaced with something more patriotic!

The patriotism begun when Valentine's Day was named Chocolate Day three years ago, a quest that was intended to generate sales for the cocoa industry, through the patronage of made in Ghana chocolates.

When it begun, it was welcomed with enthusiasm, and chocolate became the order of the day during this fetish celebration, however, with the increase in chocolate prices, one may ask if the chocolate idea will not fade out as the rest?

It would have been interesting if the Cocoa Production Company would reduce the prices of chocolate just for the occasion, so as to enable as many people as possible enjoy a bar of chocolate.

With the advent of Valentine's Day becoming Chocolate Day in Ghana, it was assumed that the cost incurred previously, over stupendous gifts by loved ones to impress, appreciate or better still satisfy the interest of demanding lovers, who wanted to be impressed, would have died out!

Somewhere out there, there will still be individuals who will not be compensated with chocolates as gifts on Valentine's Day, and will want to, if not spend on someone, then be spent on by someone.

Thanks to Facebook, the status update of so many people on this social network confirms the fact that there are huge expectations of individuals out there, come Monday the 14th of February.

Your train driver has observed how suddenly the profile pictures on Facebook, especially, that of the females, have become the picture below! Happy Valentine's Day! Ooops happy Chocolate Day, and God bless us all!