Valentine’s Day celebrates two Catholic saints. The original Saint Valentine, who sacrificed his life for his faith, could be remembered as an icon for members of the beekeeping community, and more importantly for those who suffer from epilepsy. But his accomplishments will be forever foreshadowed by the commercial holiday honoring a different Saint Valentine. The second Saint Valentine was another honorable man who also died for his faith and helped young men and women who would be separated by war. But his legacy is no longer one of true love but rather superficial love. Valentine’s Day would be a beautiful holiday if it truly honored Saint Valentine and the survival of love through all trials. But in the modern world the beautiful traditions created to celebrate two Catholic Saints have turned into a day with little to no substance. This is mainly due to the tradition of giving gifts on Valentine’s Day. The candy, jewelry, balloons, flowers, and stuffed animal industries are the only people who truly benefit from Valentine’s Day while the majority of people end up with a cheap last minute gift they have absolutely no use for. Rather than exchanging sincere gifts couples end up buying whatever will impress their significant other the most and top last year’s gift. That’s not to say that only couples celebrate Valentine’s Day, many friends and family members celebrate the holiday as well; however, the emphasis on couples ostracizes those not in romantic relationships. People are pressured to participate in some sort of romantic encounter in order to avoid being labeled “sad” when compared to the Instagram posts of #BaeGoals. Abigail Hays (21) expressed her distaste on the romantic love of the holiday saying, “I think it almost makes girls feel self conscience when they don’t get something from someone.” Although one might manage to find a few authentic people appreciating their loved ones amongst the superficial celebrations of Valentine’s Day but it feels that the true spirit of the holiday is lost. Rather than being forced to half heartedly celebrate with whomever you’re in a relationship with, shouldn’t we appreciate the people we love every day. This Valentine’s Day let’s celebrate not only those we romantically love, but also our friends, parents, siblings, and everyone we don’t always remind of how thankful we are to have them in our lives.