February 14th is the holiday of love, more commonly known as Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day originated in Paris, the city of love. Since then it has spread all over the world. It is the day to share chocolates, romantic dinners, conversation hearts, and Valentine cards with your loved ones. However, the price tags of the chocolates, dinners, and extravagant gifts tend to add up quickly. It is
estimated that Americans will spend $26 billion on Valentine’s Day 2023. But isn’t it more important to focus on the true meaning of love on Valentine’s Day rather than money?

Love by definition is defined as an intense feeling of deep affection. To get a further understanding of what love truly is we have asked several students their take on the matter. Student Erick Smith understands love as “an affection that you have for someone or something. It consumes you and you would do anything for it because of how good it makes you feel”(24 Erick Smith). Rose Fagiolo describes love as, “admiring someone in every way, in their faults and in their passions, wanting to protect them, and be with them always. Love is feeling like you’re in your own world with this person, and no one can break it.” Not everyone finds love in their life, so those who have are incredibly important.

Around $300 is spent on Valentine’s Day by millennials. The top three things bought are candy, 57%, cards, 40%, and flowers, 37%. These statistics beg the question: Does money buy love? According to Junior, Rose Fagiolo, “it’s not necessary to spend a lot of money on Valentine’s Day, only a lot of thought. Because sometimes the perfect gift for someone hints from daily conversations, and though it might not cost much, it means more than an expensive gift because it shows you listen.” Junior, Cameron Estes, explained how money can’t buy love because it is only temporary. Once the money is gone, there is nothing to build a relationship on that only formed because of money. Money can buy things, not people. It is important to cherish time with one another rather than devour each other with gifts. Gifts are nice on Valentine’s Day especially if they are sentimental, but not necessarily needed.

Valentine’s Day is a very special day to celebrate not only among couples but also friends. Remember friends can be each other’s Valentines too. And in celebrating this day, everyone must remember that money doesn’t buy love, but more sentimental and deep gifts can.