PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH MYERS | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: DKS Editors

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Junior nursing major Mark Little feels the same way a lot of guys do about the nature of Sweetest Day.

“I definitely feel it’s a Hallmark holiday,” he said.

According to the card company, the holiday got its roots 65 years ago in Cleveland. Herbert Birch Kingston, a candy company employee, wanted to bring happiness into the lives of the forgotten and gave candy and gifts to orphans to show them someone cared.

Hallmark produced its first Sweetest Day cards in the mid-1960s, and Ohio is among one of the leading states for Sweetest Day sales.

Freshman exploratory major Joey Smakula didn’t even know Sweetest Day is tomorrow.

“I think that it is a fake holiday made up by card companies and chocolate companies in order to make money,” Smakula said. “It’s to remind everyone who is single that they are lonely.”

Christopher Hook, freshman international relations and French major, said it’s more of a holiday for women than men.

“It’s an opportunity for guys to buy flowers and chocolate to show their girls how much they love them,” Hook said.

This is the first year Little has been in a relationship on Sweetest Day, and he said it’s a good way to make a girl feel special.

“We’re going to go out and do something, go out to dinner or whatever,” he said. “But it’s not just because it’s Sweetest Day. You shouldn’t need an excuse to do something nice.”

He thinks Sweetest Day is more of an adult holiday.

“Expectations are more on Sweetest Day than Valentine’s Day,” Little said. “Ever since I was a kid, Valentine’s Day has been a little thing to do.”

Smakula said he doesn’t expect too much on Sweetest Day.

“I’m not really that materialistic, but an acceptable gift would be dinner, chocolate, a flower, maybe a great night in bed,” Smakula said. “If someone gave me an exhaust manifold for a (Nissan) 240sx, I would like it better than some crappy food.”

To senior marketing major Ari Fleeman, though, Sweetest Day is no big deal.

“I can see where guys can hate it and, of course, girls love it, but either way its still just a day to me,” he said.

Contact student life reporter Adam Griffiths at [email protected].

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It doesn’t matter that Sweetest Day was concocted for commercial gains, said Adrianna Midamba, sophomore political science major.

“Sweetest Day is not like Valentine’s Day, but it’s a day to show your friend or loved one that they’re your sweetie,” she said. “I love Sweetest Day, but I think it’s also a way for Hallmark to make money.”

To celebrate, her friend, or sweetie, will visit and take her to dinner this weekend. Even though they’re not dating, she said she hopes he’ll buy her flowers because she likes “traditional types of courtship,” such as flowers and teddy bears.

“On the most romantic date I’ve had, he took me to the beach – but you know there aren’t any beaches in Ohio, so we went to Lake Erie. Then we went to a candle-light dinner. He gave me a dozen red roses and there was calm, sweet music playing.

“It was a beautiful day,” she said.

But she also said romance can be found in simpler things, like when a guy drove three hours to bring her something he could have mailed.

Ava Haynes, freshman American Sign Language major, said she also thinks flowers are romantic, though she’s never been given any before. She also likes to receive teddy bears, candy and cards.

She said the most romantic thing someone ever did for her was in high school, and didn’t involve any of those.

“It was Valentine’s Day and I was walking to class and this boy that liked me went to his locker and pulled out a gift,” she said. “I didn’t think I was going to get anything because the day was almost over.”

It was special because it was surprising, she said.

Chrissy Miller, a junior nursing major at the Stark campus, also said she finds romance in the spontaneous, nice things people do for each other to show they care.

“It’s romantic to do thoughtful things that make your boyfriend or girlfriend’s life easier,” she said. “Just trying to make them happy.”

She said her boyfriend isn’t really romantic and probably doesn’t even know that Sweetest Day is tomorrow, but she doesn’t mind.

“I think it’s kind of a Hallmark holiday, it’s just an excuse for a holiday,” Miller said. “So I don’t really celebrate it.”

Contact student life reporter Theresa Bruskin at [email protected].