
76: Annual Special: Valentine’s Day—Hallmark Holiday or Passionate Power Play
From Make More Love by Ellen Dorian
February 5, 2026 · 16 min · Season 2 · Episode 76
About this episode
Ellen Dorian explores the history and modern implications of Valentine's Day, offering advice for making the holiday meaningful and stress-free.
In this Valentine’s Day special episode, Ellen Dorian dives into the history, meaning, and modern-day pressures of the holiday. Whether listeners are diehard romantics or Valentine’s Day cynics, Ellen provides practical advice and creative ideas to help them plan a day that fits their relationship. From understanding their partner’s expectations to avoiding last-minute stress, this episode is packed with insights to make Valentine's Day a meaningful and stress-free experience. Part 1: Understanding Valentine's Day A look at the origins of the holiday, including its rebellious roots in ancient Rome. Why Valentine’s Day can feel commercialized and how shifting perspectives can help. The significance of aligning with or acknowledging a partner's attachment to the day. Part 2: Meeting Relationship Expectations The importance of understanding a partner’s expectations for Valentine's Day. The consequences of ignoring the holiday if it's important to one partner. Two options: setting clear boundaries or using the holiday to strengthen the relationship. Part 3: Planning a Personalized Valentine’s Day Strategies for different types of relationships: Partners who are indifferent to the…
People in this episode
Host: Ellen Dorian
Topics covered
- Valentine's Day
- relationship expectations
- holiday planning
- romantic gestures
- cultural significance
Keywords
- Valentine's Day
- relationship advice
- holiday planning
- romantic expectations
- cultural history
Mentioned in this episode
Places: ancient Rome
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