Disproving Valentine’s Day haters

When people think about Valentine’s Day, they think about a variety of things. To some, the day brings joy and happiness as they celebrate their significant other, or their other loved ones (friends and family etc.). But, others feel the holiday is useless and a painful reminder that they are not in a romantic relationship. 

The day is defined as “an annual festival to celebrate romantic love, friendship and admiration” according to an article titled What is Valentine’s Day? Why do we celebrate the day? from rosesonly.com. Personally, I agree with this definition because I think of Valentine’s Day as a way to embrace the love you have for others, and also admire the love others have for each other. 

I am and have always been a hopeless romantic through and through, most likely due to my obsession with romance novels and movies. My love for romance is most likely why I love the holiday. However, many people dislike the day because they think it has become over-commercialized by the media and it has no depth to it. A lot of people feel that the holiday is society pressuring them to spend a lot of money and not even focusing on the point of the holiday itself. According to a survey done by the National Retail Federation people are “expecting to spend an average of $161.96 on Valentine’s Day for their significant others, children, parents, friends, and coworkers.” I will admit some people choose to make the day about spoiling their loved ones, but that’s not a necessity for the holiday. 

 For me Valentine’s Day is a time for expression, expressing the love you have for others. Although that love should and probably is showcased daily for a lot of couples or friendships, having one day to release all of that admiration and care onto those that deserve it is truly beautiful to me and something I cherish being able to do every year. 

It makes me bitter that according to Insider.com, 30% to 58% of both men and women agree Valentine’s Day is insignificant and “does not qualify as a ‘real special occasion.’” I understand that other holidays, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Halloween, etc. are perceived as more important and better than Valentine’s Day, because they are more popularized and formally celebrated my many people, and I still have a lot of love for those holidays as well, but February 14th will always be my favorite because I simply love love. 

One of my favorite things about Valentine’s Day is giving gifts to others. My love language is gift giving because to me giving a gift is not just giving a gift, there’s so much more depth to it. Giving a gift allows me to think about the things people love the most and personalize it so it becomes sentimental and heartfelt. Believe it or not I enjoy giving gifts much more than receiving gifts because seeing someone’s raw reaction is so rewarding. Valentine’s Day is a perfect opportunity to go above and beyond and really show someone, or multiple people how much you love and appreciate them in your life. Whether it be writing a thoughtful card, picking out flowers for someone, or stocking up on candies and chocolates, I enjoy being able to show my loved ones how much I care about them. 

Something many people seem to forget is the importance of platonic love and friendships. A lot of times all I truly need, even if I think it’s a romantic interest, is a friend. Finding those people in your life who are always going to be there for you and support you is the recipe to happiness for me. Anytime I feel lonely because I’m not in a relationship, I remember I have my best friends with me and they fill that romantic void. Every-time I hang out with those friends I completely forget about me longing for romance in my life because platonic soulmates are even better than romantic ones a lot of the time in my opinion.

Sure, maybe the day would be even better than it already is if I was in a relationship, and maybe it’s cheesy and reminds me of Hallmark movies, but not having a significant other won’t stop me from going out and buying chocolates and flowers for myself and my friends. Valentine’s Day candy is seriously the best, heart lollipops, heart chocolates, the list of goodies goes on. Even though I don’t have a romantic valentine, I have many platonic valentines that make the holiday special and that’s why I will forever love and cherish Valentine’s Day.