Valentine’s Day- the holiday of hearts, grand romantic gestures, and overpriced chocolate. Whether it’s the pressure to find the perfect gift, plan the ideal date, or live up to the grand gestures we see in movies, Valentine’s Day has become less about love and more about performance. For some, it is the most romantic day of the year. For others, it is just another excuse for companies to make money. Is this holiday truly about celebrating relationships, or is it just another way for companies to capitalize on love? 

Valentine’s Day was not always about extravagant gifts and fancy dinners. Historically speaking, it originated from a Roman holiday called Lupercalia and then later it became associated with romantic love through literature and religious traditions. However, now, the holiday has become a billion-dollar industry. 

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans collectively spend billions on Valentine’s Day gifts, from jewelry and flowers to cards and expensive dinners. Stores pushing out heart-shaped everything and commercials convincing people that if they really love someone, they will buy them something expensive, sets standards high. 

Sophomore, Avalina Le, emphasizes the pressure social media pushes to spend a ton of money on gifts. 

“Social media has always glorified giving lavish gifts to partners, whether it be through advertising or influencers,” Le said. 

Examples are celebrity couples posting grand surprises, ads telling us what the “perfect” Valentine’s Day gift is, and influencers showing off designer items from their significant others. If you’re not spending, are you even doing it right? 

This creates pressure, even among high school students, to participate in a holiday that feels more about spending money than celebrating genuine connections. 

Beyond the money, Valentine’s Day also reflects a broader issue. There is an issue of how love is portrayed. Romantic comedies give us these huge, dramatic love stories where people make insane sacrifices, profess their love in the rain, and somehow live happily ever after. And while it is fun to watch, it’s also not reality. 

Another popular way love is portrayed in the media is through music. The song, “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls says, “You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be.” While the lyrics may be poetic, they reinforce the idea that love should be dramatic and otherworldly. That’s a lot of pressure to place on someone. 

Love in real life is not always butterflies and dramatic confessions. It’s messy, awkward, and sometimes boring. But because we grow up seeing love in such an idealized way, people start to expect the perfect relationship. And when reality does not live up to those expectations? Disappointment is inevitable. 

Junior, Victoria Jarrett, argues that media sets “dumbfounding expectations” for relationships. 

“There are a lot of people that tend to over-romanticize what relationships are actually like. People have come to less understanding on how to openly communicate in a healthy way to their partners through social media influence,” Jarrett said. 

She points out how social media makes relationships even more complicated. 

“People rely on unspoken rules rather than actually communicating. Like those dumb things online about how long you should wait before texting someone back. It’s made relationships way harder than they need to be,” Jarrett said. 

While some love the extravagant nature of Valentine’s Day, others believe that love should be celebrated in simpler, personal ways. Jarrett feels that love should be something you celebrate regularly, not just once a year because a holiday tells you to do so. 

“A lot of people spend so much money on one day, but those experiences and gifts should be a regular thing, not just an obligation,” Jarrett said.

Ari Taylor, junior at East, emphasizes that she celebrates the holiday as more of a day of fun rather than an event full of expectations.

“I spend the day with friends, dress up, and eat sweets. I just like the vibe,” Taylor said.

Her perspective highlights that Valentine’s Day does not have to be about relationships. It can just be a day to appreciate the people around you.   

Valentine’s Day is not going away; there is nothing wrong with celebrating love. But it is time to reconsider how it is done. Instead of stressing over gifts or trying to live up to some picture-perfect romance, love should be about the little things such as consistent effort, genuine appreciation, and real connection. At the end of the day, love is not something that you can buy.

Written by Senior Soha-Fatima Osman. Edited by staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.