It is that time of year again, where all you see is heart shaped boxes of chocolate and stuffed animals in every store you set foot in. For some, it feels like those teddy bears holding an “I Love You” heart shaped pillow are just taunting you, as a reminder that you’re alone. For others, it is a time to be with that special person in your life and show them how much you love them through cheesy gifts.
That’s right, Valentine’s Day is here. A holiday full of consumerism. However, if we can look past all that and see that there are some really special parts of the holiday people find meaningful. People need to remember to celebrate all the love in their lives.
“I believe in celebrating everyday like it’s Valentine’s Day,” said freshman Megan McClintock.
McClintock said every year on Valentine’s Day her and her mother get each other cards, chocolates, and watch a movie. She was raised by her single mom, and she always did her best to make sure love was in their house. They use Valentine’s Day as a way to show how strong their love is for family.
Showing love for your friends is important too because those are relationships are special and irreplaceable, so even though they aren’t romantic, they deserve a celebration too.
“My best friend and I traditionally celebrate Valentine’s Day by going to get dinner and see a movie together,” said freshman Kelsie Pace.
Pace said that she loves this tradition because she likes celebrating her long friendship with her best friend. She said that even though her best friend now has a boyfriend, they still continue this celebration together to have some girl time and show how much they care about each other.
“It’s not so much the holiday that is important, but the times you spend with the person you care about,” said sophomore Patrick Smith.
For those in a relationship this holiday, it doesn’t need to be about spending a lot of money and buying extravagant gifts. Smith said he and his girlfriend are happy just watching movies on Valentine’s Day. He said it’s not just about celebrating the relationship, but the friendship that comes first.
“I’ve always thought Valentine’s Day was unnecessary, but my boyfriend loves it. Even though we should tell each other that we love each other every day, I’ve learned to see that it is still worth celebrating on this holiday. Now that I have him, I see how it’s important to specifically take a day to take a step a back and tell them people we love how much we care about them,” said senior Samantha Moul.
Moul said her boyfriend lives an hour away and even though they won’t see each other on the actual day, they were still able to celebrate. She got a gift from him over the weekend, and she left him a letter to open on Valentine’s Day. She also sends love and cards to her parents and her sister, because those are the first valentines in her life.
She, along with millions of other people, experience Valentine’s Day with a celebration of love not just for a significant other, but the important people in her life.