IS VALENTINE'S DAY DRIVEN BY CAPITALISM?

Conversation - B1-B2 | Intermediate Level

8 $

Feb. 14 Sat , 08:00 USA

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Description

In this intermediate lesson, the students will discuss how Valentine’s Day is celebrated in their countries and reflect on their personal experiences with the holiday. They will explore the commercialization of Valentine’s Day, changing attitudes toward it, and why some people resist or criticize it. The goal is to help learners express opinions, compare cultural perspectives, and discuss social trends related to love, money, and tradition.

Session Activities

1: What is your first memory of Valentine’s Day?

2: What’s the most common Valentine’s Day present in your country?

3: Do you personally enjoy Valentine’s Day, or do you feel neutral about it?

1: Does your country have any unique Valentine’s Day traditions or customs?

2: How did you celebrate Valentine’s Day as a teenager or young adult compared to now as a fully grown adult?

3: Do you think Valentine’s Day has become more commercialized over time?

4: Some people strongly criticize Valentine’s Day. Do you think this criticism is mainly about capitalism, or just personal preference?

5: In your opinion, can Valentine’s Day go beyond romantic love (for example, friendship, family, or self-love)?

6: Do you feel pressure to buy gifts or spend money on Valentine’s Day? Where do you think this pressure comes from?

7: If companies stopped marketing Valentine’s Day so aggressively, do you think people would still celebrate it?

8: If you were to give someone a Valentine’s Day gift, what would you give, to whom, and why?

Break the bank

to spend too much money

It’s the thought that counts

the intention matters more than the gift itself

buy into

to believe or accept an idea or trend

cash in on

to make money from a situation or event

grow out of

to stop liking something as you get older

Galentine’s Day

is a day when friends (especially women) celebrate friendship instead of romantic love