The whole idea behind Valentine's Day is pretty ridiculous. The idea that it is something special, and super romantic. For me, Valentine's day doesn't really mean anything anymore for the pure reason that there is an entire industry set up behind it. It no longer has a sense of authenticity and reality. All it has become is a day when couples are supposed to celebrate their relationship to the extreme. The day turns into an entire plan of entertainment. First comes an activity of some sort, dinner follows, and then some sort of gift exchange between partners. Couples spend so much time looking for an amazing gift for each other, and sometimes they even end up spending too money for said gift. Why? Somehow the whole idea behind Valentine's Day got lost in all of this materialistic crap.

Along with that, single people end up feeling left out on this special day because they aren't in a relationship. But that really shouldn't be an issue, since there is a lot more to celebrate on this day than just being in a relationship. Within the Hispanic/Latino culture, in Spanish, Valentine's day is called "El Dia del Amor y La Amistad," which translates into "The Day of Love and Friendship." See in a lot of Latin American countries, they not only celebrate being in love with their significant other, they also celebrate the love they have for all of the other people in their lives. All of their friends and family, whom they love and care for. The day means so much more than spending time with the your significant other, it's a time where you show all your loved one's how much they mean to you.

So for me, when it comes to Valentine's Day, I celebrate with all of the people that I love and care about. I do my best to shower them with love. Regardless of the fact if I am single or not, Valentine's Day has a deeper meaning to me. I don't care for the planned activity, the dinner reservation in an expensive restaurant, or any kind of gift. The only thing I care to do, is to surround myself with my loved one's and show them how much they mean to me. Because a friendship is just as important or even more important than a romantic relationship. Making a friendship work is its own work, and that deserves to be celebrated.