Throughout history, it has been common for holiday meanings to change, keeping up with the time period.

Valentine’s Day is one of these holidays. 

Valentine’s Day dates back to Rome and has continued nearly every year since. Traditionally, it was a festival to promote fertility. Christian influence later changed it to the celebration of love as it is now known. 

However, many people’s priorities on this “Day of Love” are skewed from their loved ones.

With the increase of people posting their lives, things like Valentine’s gifts have become less of a genuine gesture and more of something to brag about. They’ve become nothing more than their value and cost, the meaningful gestures now ignored. While not everyone follows this belief, the mass that do affects how the holiday is viewed and celebrated.

The debate surrounding Valentine’s Day has become more complex than the argument, “Is Valentine’s Day overrated?”

Arguments surrounding this debate are due to overpriced chocolates and excessive roses.

People want those overpriced and lavish gifts because now the cost of something shows one’s love and dedication. Valentine’s Day became less a show of love and more another chance at 5 minutes of fame. 

How did we allow this to happen? Or, more importantly, how did we encourage its growth?

Why do we encourage the growing separation between love and a wish for attention?

Some argue that sharing Valentine’s gifts is a sign of appreciation, which can be true: sharing something you love with others. 

The problem more so lies with those who allow this to influence them.

Elaborate and overpriced gifts overshadow dedicated and thought-out homemade gifts. Many say that a gift is just a gift, but there is meaning behind a gift’s origins. 

The meaning behind a $40 gift that took a few minutes to find does not hold a candle to the dedicated time and effort behind a homemade gift. Yet still, the preference towards bought gifts expands, with prices continuously increasing, since they know people will buy them.

So what’s more important? 

Popularity or dedication?