Valentine's Day, Celebrating of Love?

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.
The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend on average twice as much money as women.
Conflict with religious fundamentalists
In India, Valentine's Day is explicitly discouraged by Hindu fundamentalists. Each year there are violent clashes between shopkeepers dealing in Valentine related items and Shiv Sena die-hards. Especially in Mumbai and surrounding areas Bal Thackeray and others sent out signals before the day warning people not having to do anything with Valentine. Those who violate this are dealt with harshly by baton-holding brigands of Shiv Sena who lark in public places especailly parks etc. chasing young people holding hands and others suspected to be lovers.
Today in Iran Valentine's Day is currently celebrated in Iran despite some restrictions made by government. Young Iranians are seen on this day going out and buying gifts and celebrating.
In Saudi Arabia in 2008, religious police banned the sale of all Valentine's Day items, telling shop workers to remove any red items, as the day is considered an un-Islamic holiday. This ban created a black market of roses and wrapping paper.
In Indonesia in 2009, MUI started the ban warning Valentine day for Muslims. Based on historical, Valentine day is not same as universal love day, but it is a warning against Valentine of someone who in the eyes of a Christian act on the basis of love. In addition, the warning days love is feared will be the negative things for teenagers, the development of free sex is the name of love.