The season of love always comes and goes so fast. Stores are littered with cards, chocolate boxes, and roses in every hue you can think of. Every year companies try to grasp consumer attention and raise sales by adorning their products with heart-shaped silhouettes, but what products are actually worth the purchase?

Like every other holiday, Valentine’s day is extremely commercialized. As soon as the Christmas season is swept under the rug, stores are flooded with Valentine’s Day collections, and customers seek out the “best gift”. Each year the standards seem to grow higher and higher as the demand for more extravagant gifts rises. Instead of a celebration of love, the holiday can slowly divulge into a silent competition.

Many people have idealistic expectations in their head of what they want to give or receive, and burn holes in their pockets trying to live up to them. So far this month, the U.S. is already projected to reach a record breaking 29.1 billion in sales. This is a 5.7% increase from last year.

East junior Collin Spice gave his input on Valentine’s day spending.

“I feel pressured to spend a lot of money for the holiday,” Spiece said “I think we both have expectations for gifts, but what I care most about is the thought behind it and making sure that we feel appreciated.”

Aside from gift giving, another large portion of this spending is derived from clothing brands releasing Valentine’s Day collections, most being limited edition. The short time frames they give customers quickly raises sales as buyers rush to get their hands on the newest items. The majority of the craze around Valentine’s day spending is driven by time, and how little of it we have to buy what we want. The short time frame puts pressure on consumers to get everything while they can, and allows companies to capitalize off their collections in a short amount of time.

Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the low quality some of these brands’ releases have. Loungewear company Skims has received backlash from some customers recently for their “lackluster” Valentine’s Day collection, as many customers note the redundancy in designs and a difference in price for their collection, but the only clear difference in the pieces was the color. How can brands justify a $10 markup for a product that they sell year round solely because it’s pink? From a marketing perspective, it poses questions regarding their brand’s rationale and values, and if these prices for their holiday items are necessary. 

Senior Olivia Koepke tries to see the bigger picture when it comes to Valentine’s Day gifts.

“I think a lot of the collections for sale are cute, but to me, it’s not really about dollar value,” said Koepke“It’s about sentimental value. If the gift is unoriginal to the person receiving it, then in my opinion it defeats the purpose of Valentine’s day, and it’s just money wasted.”

As I write this article, I sit with the fact that this constant consumption is inevitable. We live our lives in it, and it’s nearly impossible not to. We are fed constantly with what’s new, what we should buy, and what we should expect to receive.

The bottom line? Buy what you want. Indulge and enjoy the day of love however you want, whether it’s buying or receiving something that’s been on your wishlist, or just spending it surrounded by the people you love. It’s up to you, but one of the most beneficial things you can do for yourself- and your wallet- is be conscious of your purchases.The best gift doesn’t always need to be bought, it can also be the time spent showing that you care.

Written by senior Jamie Johnson. Edited by staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.