Each year, Valentine’s Day seems to collect more and more haters. Many people have developed the opinion that a holiday to celebrate love is dated and silly. From negative social media culture to organized events like “The Anti-Valentines Day Bar Crawl” happening in Chicago, it seems like the holiday has become a day of dread for many.

While not everyone may feel like they have someone special to celebrate, a change in perspective may be what society needs to change their perception of Valentine’s Day. 

Often marketed as a holiday about spending money on excessive amounts of flowers, chocolate and romantic dinners in dimly lit restaurants, the holiday may make people feel a financial strain during the holiday, whether or not they have someone to celebrate with.

“Social media has contributed to a sense of competition in materialism,” Paul Booth, a professor of media and pop culture at DePaul, said. “Valentine’s Day has always been a materialistic holiday.” 

Booth believes this to be one of the reasons there is “a lot of resistance around it.” 

Although I would classify myself as a fan now, I wasn’t always on board with the idea of Valentine’s Day. For me, it was finding a way to celebrate that I enjoyed that really made me enjoy the holiday. I discovered that I loved the more girly side of Valentine’s Day; it became a reason to buy myself flowers. I realized I loved making crafts like handmade valentines for the people I loved. It was when the holiday became more about creativity, and what I like, that I began to enjoy it. 

DePaul freshman Helen Day says she has “always been a fan of Valentine’s Day.” 

“I think mostly because of the colors. Ever since I was a kid I’ve thought that red and pink look really good together. I think everything looks so pretty during Valentine’s Day,” Day said. 

To her, Valentine’s Day is about spending time with the people she loves. 

“When I didn’t have a boyfriend, I would hang out with my friends,” Day said. “It’s just about love. We all love somebody, whether that’s romantic or not. We can all understand the feeling of love, which is what the holiday is really about.”

There is also the Valentine’s Day pressure surrounding material things. Many people have noticed the consumerist themes that have developed around the holiday.

Social media has served as an advocate for both parties. Booth says that he’s seen “a lot of pro-Valentine’s day content and a lot of anti-Valentine’s Day content” marketed on social media.  “Social media will be different for everyone; both trends are definitely part of the media today.”

“We live in a capitalist, materialistic society; it makes sense that we’d celebrate our holidays with materialism,” Booth said.

There is a lot of marketing around the holiday which adds to the pressure of celebrating materialistically. Booth thinks the holiday marketing can go both ways.

“If they’re trying to get people to buy things for people in relationships, they’re going to make it seem like it’s only for people in relationships,” Booth said. “However, if it’s a company interested in marketing the singles, then it will be marketed as anti-romantic.” 

Some of this materialistic stress around the holiday could be the catalyst for its growing number of haters. Letting go of these superficial standards and making Valentine’s Day a holiday about love is what will make the holiday more enjoyable for everyone, no matter how you’re celebrating. 

There are many ways to celebrate, whether you’re alone, with a partner or with friends. Finding a way to celebrate that feels fun and easy is the key to making this holiday your new favorite. Try hosting a party for your friends or family, or finding a niche hobby and spend time with yourself. 

Day says that all it takes is letting your friends know “I’m thinking of you and I love you.” 

“I think pressure comes from seeing other people do crazy things like helicopter rides, fancy dinners, diamonds when really it doesn’t have to be that way,” Day said.

The most important aspect of Valentine’s Day is how you feel while you celebrate. Those that don’t hate the day usually choose to see the holiday as something fun, rather than a chore. 

So, before you write off February 14, find a way to celebrate that works for you. Whether you spend your Valentine’s day drinking champagne in the fanciest restaurants or making crafts with your friends at home, the point of this holiday is to feel loved and to make the people around you feel loved too.

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