Valentine’s Day does not have to always be filled with teddy bears, red roses, and heart-shaped chocolates; it can simply be a day to show your loved ones how much you care about them.

Valentine’s Day tends to receive a negative reputation from all the singles out there. Some may argue that it is “overrated,” however, there are many ways to enjoy this holiday without being in a relationship or having a “special someone.”

Dedicating a day to spread love is not overrated. Showing people that you love them should be an everyday habit, but having a special day specifically for displaying appreciation would not hurt. Sharing an important moment with a significant other is what this day is most known for, so for all the single individuals who cannot seem to find a date, this holiday may not be their favorite. However, you can transform this day from a romantic, cheesy occasion for couples, into an entertaining and enjoyable day to spend with your loved ones.

Celebrating this holiday with a special someone is an amazing way to mix romance and fun into relationships and having a specific day to “wine and dine” your significant other is something all couples should enjoy and look forward to. The stereotype of the “perfect Valentine’s Day” date includes the cliché overpriced meals at a busy restaurant, expensive gifts, and corny romance movies.

And it is all is a facade.

Valentine’s Day should not always have to be the typical, overrated stereotype. It can become a fun-filled day for those who want to show their loved ones how much they care.

“Committing acts of kindness lowers blood pressure,” states to Dr. David R. Hamilton from randomactofkindess.org. “Acts of kindness create emotional warmth, which releases a hormone known as oxytocin.” Showing appreciation for a significant other or sharing a hug with a friend can help increase happiness levels.
Valentine’s Day does not always have to be an overrated holiday filled with gifts and stereotypes. It can become a special day to show appreciation for your loved ones; if you find yourself alone on Valentine’s Day, there are multiple ways to turn it around and have an enjoyable time without a date.

According to thisisinsider.com, you can “have a movie marathon with your favorite celebrity,” or you can “go on a shopping spree and take advantage of the holiday sales.” There are numerous ways to enjoy this holiday without having to be bitter or upset because you do not have a date.

Also, including others into your plans can turn it into an even more exciting occasion. If we as a society collectively share Valentine’s Day with a friend, family member, loved one, or even ourselves, it can become a fun-filled day that will no longer be deemed as “overrated.”

Overpriced chocolate, cheesy social media posts, stuffed animals, and sickly sweet cards. What do these four elements make up? Singles awareness day, or as we all know it as, Valentine’s day. The season of overwhelming, excessive romantic gestures and annoying captions that are along the lines of, “love of my life! My other half! [insert a large amount of love related emojis here].” The amount of teddy bears being held and the colorful array of flowers distributed throughout the hallways increase at an alarming rate, before eventually reaching its downfall once again.

Singles everywhere dread Feb. 14th, every corner you turn there are couples holding hands, kissing, making you feel more single than you already are.

There is one word out of many to describe the feeling the single citizens of the world get in their chest: blah.

Why should there only be one day out of the 365 days dedicated to love. It defeats the entire purpose of being in a relationship. There is the pressure to get something for your loved one on that “special” day, but would it not be more meaningful to get them something on a random day, a nice surprise?

Anniversaries are basically Valentine’s day, every couple has their day where they celebrate their love for each other. Which deems the red, white, and pink day as an unneeded extension.

If this day was dedicated to different types of love, maybe it would be better. But, marketing aims towards couples. Buy them red, cliché roses! Buy them overpriced, heart shaped chocolate! Buy them a large teddy bear that will soon be stored away into the closet where it will eventually collect dust!

I hate to deliver the cold, hard truth, but, Valentine’s day is simply a commercial holiday.

Hallmark stores profit off of it immensely. Feeding the idea that necklaces, rings, all sorts of jewelry, will win the heart of that one lucky girl. Every kiss begins with Kay…or in more realistic terms, every kiss begins with materialistic items.

One of the factors of Valentine’s day that truly sends feelings of annoyance, among the many, is social media posts. Whether it be snapchat’s of gifts that were exchanged, instagram posts with long paragraphs that no one truly read but still commented “cute!” under it, or a twitter thread that highlighted all the things the couple love about each other.

The list goes on.

This so called holiday is simply an excuse for two things. One, stores to make money off of people. Two, people to show off their over the top romantic gestures that only happen once a year.

Valentine’s day can be a terribly bitter day for many people, often being consumed by the sensation of being alone. Everywhere you go you are reminded of the fact that yes, it is Valentine’s day and yes, you will most likely end up being upset if you are single.

As a kid it was a fun holiday, exchanging candy with your classmates and making heart shaped cards for your parents, but as you grow older all of the happy sensations you felt during Valentine’s day simply vanishes if you hold the status of “single”.

With the pressure to buy gifts, the lack of happiness, couples everywhere you go, and heart shaped chocolates never failing to be in your line of sight, Valentine’s day is a Hallmark movie dream, but your wallets worst nightmare.