Galentine’s Day wine tasting

PULLMAN – Valentine’s Day. The day of love. A day many people claim to be a “Hallmark Holiday”, created solely to commercialize one day out of the year in order to make large profits on it.

Valentine’s Day used to be about the giving out of candy and little notes for half an hour during class. Making homemade cards and hearts to give to your mom or you dad. But as people get older, the pressures of Valentine’s Day become much different.

“Valentine’s Day to me is a day about love, and loving one another,” said Washington State University student McKenna Kendall. “But it’s really turned into almost who can spend the most money.”

Seeing everyone else celebrate love with their special someone can make people really see their loneliness. But, to people like Kendall, love just isn’t what is on the brain.

“I don’t feel like I need to be in a relationship,” Kendall said. “I surround myself with people who love me…and it’s definitely events like this that make you feel like you’re not the only person who’s in that boat.”

Events like the Brelsford WSU Visitor’s Center Galentine’s Day wine tasting event, that is.

Marketing/Promotions Coordinator of the visitor’s center Elizabeth Rudd-McManus, said that the center decided to celebrate Galentine’s this year because they saw a great opportunity to be more inclusive.

“Love is about more than just romantic love,” said Rudd-McManus. “We just thought it was a really great opportunity to celebrate friendship, to celebrate the cougar family, and to not make it feel exclusive to only romantic love.”

Rudd-McManus also pointed out her love for the NBC series Parks and Recreation, and said she was excited to be able to celebrate a day made famous by Amy Poehler’s character, Leslie Knope.

“There’s all kinds of love. There’s sibling love, family love, and friendship,” said Rudd-McManus. “And I think Galentine’s Day is really just about celebrating that type of love.”