Many consumers have negative opinions regarding Valentine’s Day, whether it’s due to the isolation of singles, or the price tag that’s inherently attached to celebrating the holiday “the right way.” This mindset leads many to dismiss the holiday altogether. Instead of viewing the day as a celebration of love, which is what Valentine’s was intended to represent, many feel that the holiday as a whole is disingenuous and competitive. However, the holiday can be truly special when it is spent ignoring commercialized expectations and instead creating lasting memories.
The origins of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to the Ancient Romans and the Christian faith. Over time, Valentine’s Day has become a blend of various traditions and festivities, but today it still retains the original goal of celebrating love in its various forms. Unfortunately, many people associate it only with romantic love.
According to a 2024 YouGov poll, 38% of American adults plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day, with only 16% being single people celebrating. Whether it’s because of commercialization, stress from the holiday, or feeling like you need a romantic partner in order to celebrate, many Americans miss out on the joys of Valentine’s Day.
While there can be negative mental health effects from the stress of creating a perfect holiday for your partner, smaller gestures like spending time together and even physical affection can lessen the production of cortisol, a stress hormone, in the brain and increase oxytocin, a love hormone. Even for those who aren’t in a romantic relationship, the same positive results can be produced by expressing affection toward family and friends.
“You can still have family and friends that you love and you can show them that you love them even if you don’t have a partner,” said Jayceon Alarcon, 11.
Only associating Valentine’s Day with big sweeping romantic gestures can lead to people thinking there is one “right” way to express your affection for people in your life. This limits the day of love to solely focus on romance, instead of love in general, and pushes the narrative that Valentine’s Day is about expensive gifts and outdoing other people’s gestures, rather than showing your partner appreciation.
“Oftentimes people misconstrue and attribute Valentine’s Day to be a day where you spend money on big gifts and gestures. What’s important on this day is expressing your admiration and gratitude for your loved ones,” said Julian Aguilar, 11.
The most important part of Valentine’s is expressing your care for your loved ones in any way you choose. It’s up to each individual to choose how they display affection toward the people in their lives. Ignoring the commercialized standards of the “correct” way to celebrate Valentine’s is the best way to actually enjoy the holiday.
“Don’t be afraid to let the people in your life know how much you care about them. You don’t have to wait for a specific date, but Valentine’s can be a good reminder to reach out,” said Melisa Minton, theater teacher.
