People often argue that Valentine’s day, like most holidays, is a marketing scam. Well this holiday didn’t begin with giant teddy bears and chocolate hearts the size of a person. But, this is where we are now. Those who argue against the holiday tend to bash the fact that they either don’t have a lover or they don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars to impress their lover. However, you don’t need to shell out cash that would make Mr. Krabs have a stroke three times in a row. Valentine’s Day isn’t just a materialistic celebration that orbits around the idea of “How much cash could I waste on flowers that will die in a day and chocolate that’ll be gone less than a minute”. Oh, my dear reader, it’s much more than that. 

Valentine’s Day isn’t about the money or the size of a teddy bear, though getting one of those giant bears would be great on any day. It’s about love and appreciation for your lover, a reminder of how love is a true and pure aspect of life that should be special and get its own holiday. Don’t lie, you used to love making those valentine boxes and receiving little lollipops and Fun Dip from friends. Speaking of friends, this is a holiday for them too. Valentine’s day is always celebrated as a day for lovers, but the holiday itself is generally focused on love. Some people forget it’s okay to love your friends, it forms a healthy relationship and a strong bond. Friends take this holiday and make it an opportunity to show how much they care for each other. Instead of bashing this holiday every second you get because you aren’t in a relationship, think about how you could use this holiday to spread love to others who need it most.