There are a lot of mixed feelings over celebrating Valentine’s Day. Some believe it is just a holiday created by Hallmark to make money while others jump at the opportunity to plan a special day with their loved one.

The holiday began with Roman Emperor Claudius II, who decided young men should become soldiers so he banned marriage.

A bishop named Valentine disagreed with the ban so he continued secretly marrying couples. Once Claudius discovered this, he had him killed.

Supposedly, Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. Shortly before he died, he wrote her a letter and signed it, “From Your Valentine”.

He became known as the patron saint of lovers and so his martyrdom lead to the celebration of couples. His bravery has been celebrated on the anniversary of his death -February 14th – for many, many years since.

Perhaps the holiday has turned into a spectacle where couples struggle to buy the perfect gift and create the perfect day while single people loathe the reminder that they are not in a relationship.

It’s true that stores start putting out Valentine’s decorations and gifts barely weeks after Christmas ends. Commercials constantly push the celebration in your face and movies give unrealistic expectations of how magical it should be.

Everyone feels like they have to buy the most Instagram worthy gifts so everyone knows that their relationship is the best.

Certainly, that was not the holiday’s intended purpose. The day is supposed to be a lovely opportunity for couples to express or reaffirm their love, especially if the new romance rush has faded away with time.

It doesn’t have to be an over the top celebration, unless that is what the couple wants. It could be something short and simple.

It could be an extravagant gesture or a traditional evening with a dinner and a movie. The point is to express your love for your significant other in any way you choose.

It also doesn’t have to be just for couples. Valentine’s Day is a great time to remind your friends and family that you love them too.

It’s also the perfect time for a random act of kindness just to cheer up someone else’s day.

Focusing on what you have instead of what you think you’re missing should be the most important part of the holiday.

Maybe we shouldn’t be forced to express our love on one certain day of the year. Clearly, the cards, flowers, stuffed animals, and chocolates are too much pressure.

Sometimes, it’s just nice to have a day set out to remind your significant other that you love them.

Perhaps we really do need a day to be especially reminded of our feelings. Every once in awhile we lose sight of what is truly important in our daily routines, and because of that it’s valuable to have a Valentine’s Day to help us cherish love.