Written by DeAnna Britton, Relate Contributing Writer

It’s that time of the year again…Valentine’s Day. Most people would say it’s a commercial holiday, a way for Hallmark to make a fast million. I see it that way too, to a point. I do see the importance in Valentine’s Day, but I believe you should tell the people you love how much you love them every day. Many people, especially young people, feel the pressure to have a date for this holiday. Talking from the point of view of never having a date, I can assure you, you can still celebrate without a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Like I just said, I’ve never had a date for Valentine’s Day. There was that one boyfriend in sixth grade, but that hardly counted. I did get a chocolate rose out of it, though, but he ate my box of chocolate before he gave it to me. Anyway, I’m 20 years old; I’ve lived through junior high and high school without a date for this oh-so-romantic day. Here is how I did it.

I celebrated with my friends most of the time. I would always have Valentine’s cards for them and I would write in the cards about how much each of them meant to me. I have always believed that friendships are way more important than boyfriends. Sometimes my friends and I would go out and celebrate for the sake that we have each other. This day is all about spending it with someone you love.

Sometimes I would celebrate Valentine’s Day with my family. My dad used to get me a rose and we’d go out to dinner or something to that extent. My mom would always get me something, too, to show how much she loved me. I always appreciated it because it made me feel loved and less bad about being alone when my friends had dates. My brother always made me feel better, too, with the whole “you’ll find somebody someday and it’ll be great” speech. He genuinely meant it, but it got hard to hear after a while when he had to keep repeating it.

This may be one of the loneliest holidays of the year but what you have to remember is, you have a lot of people who care about you and love you. It doesn’t have to be a significant other to be important. It took me awhile to figure that out. What matters is that people do love you and it’s good to spend this day with them. Although this Valentine’s Day I won’t be able to be with my family, it doesn’t mean I won’t tell them how much they mean to me and how much I love them. Everybody needs to be reminded of how much they are loved. It brings perspective back into their lives. So don’t forget to tell everyone you love how much you love them and what they mean to you. That’s what the day is all about.

Tags: date, family Valentine's, love yourself, single, valentine, valentine's day