Valentine’s Day: a holiday completely centered around the love and appreciation of your family, friends, or more commonly, your significant other. Despite its seemingly good intent, many despise the holiday for emphasizing their loneliness. Some also believe it’s only a marketing ploy for big businesses to make money. Whatever the reason, many believe that Valentine’s Day sucks. However, there are still many hopeless romantics who see Valentine’s Day as a great way to express love to those you cherish.

Quartz Hill student Madeline Starr said, “I think Valentine’s Day is a really sweet holiday to show the people around you that they are important to you, and that they are cared about, loved, etc. Of course you should show them you love them everyday, but I believe Valentine’s Day is just that day to be extra special to those people.”

Starr continued, “My mom always does little Valentine’s Day baskets for me and my siblings. She puts some of our favorite things together and puts it in our rooms while we’re asleep, so we can wake up to them, and it’s honestly so cute. We also usually spend the day together as a family, ordering takeout and watching movies or our favorite shows together.”

Amaya Bowie also said, “I think Valentine’s Day is great. It’s a good day to spend time with your friends, family, or significant other, and to show them how much you care for them or appreciate them. I usually spend Valentine’s Day with my boyfriend, and we just eat food.”

Student Kevin Stephenson says, “I think Valentine’s Day is kind of cute. Like, it’s just a nice day for couples to treat each other, but I usually spend it by myself eating chocolate.”

Whether you are by yourself, with your family, or with your significant other on Valentine’s Day, there are many ways it can be enjoyed.  However, to some, Valentine’s Day will always be a torturous day of mawkish couples, sappy love letters, and marketing schemes.

Priscilla Zavala said, “Honestly, Valentine’s Day is just a holiday for stores to gain income. It’s obvious that people are going to spend money because it’s a ‘holiday,’ and most holidays are meant for people to spend money buying gifts, food, and decorations.”

Brooke Harding also explained, “Valentine’s Day is fun if you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, but I still think it’s just a creative way for stores to get people to spend an excessive amount of money on flowers, jewelry, and candy.”

Like any other day, Valentine’s Day is what you make it. It may be a holiday created by big corporations for profit. However, it could be a day to show appreciation for the ones you love.  Still, appreciation for those you love does not have to be shown on a specific day or through gifts and money. It can be shown every day through reassurance, time, and simple acts of kindness.