Many people hate Valentine's Day for different reasons. Most people who hate the holiday do so because it makes them feel even more single and lonely than they do on any other random day.

I, however, am in a happy, loving, healthy relationship, and strongly dislike Valentine's Day.

Aside from the fact that the entire day is merely a marketing holiday created as an excuse for companies to advertise their products, Valentine's Day has created so many cliches and stereotypes about ways to make your S/O happy. When I hear Valentine's Day, I immediately think of a red, heart-shaped box of chocolates, a dozen red roses, and a fancy dinner. I personally prefer smaller gestures to express love and affection. For starters, I don't really care for roses. On any given day, you can purchase a dozen red roses for $20. But due to the higher demand during February, they can cost upward of $100. This is a complete waste of money. Some people love roses and hey, if it works, it works. But after discussing Valentine's Day with many of my friends and peers, I found that most people don't really care for roses at all. A majority of them only care for roses on Valentine's Day because they feel that that's what is expected on the holiday.

For people who don't care for roses, the gesture isn't as meaningful. My ideal night consists of Chinese take-out food, a bottle of cheap wine, and South Park or a funny movie. Getting dressed up to go out to a fancy dinner on the same night every other couple does just because it feels like it's what you're supposed to do on Valentine's Day makes it way less special. I'm an impatient person, and waiting over an hour for a table at a nice restaurant where service will be sub-par due to the business of the holiday is not my idea of romance. I'd rather pick any random, meaningless day and go out and have a nice dinner because my significant other and I want to, not because we feel obligated to.

The most important reason I dislike Valentine's Day is because there shouldn't be any one specific day in which you're obligated to express your love and gratitude for your S/O. The extra gifts, flowers, fancy dinners, and other expenses are not the factors that define a good relationship. Being happy around one another, being there for each other, supporting one another and saying 'I love you' are all that you need to sustain a healthy and happy relationship. Valentine's Day just puts unnecessary pressure on couples to conform to all of these gestures that no one ever really performs on any other given day of the year. So why should there be a day that suddenly makes them so romantic?

Love should be every day, not just Valentine's Day.