Before we get into this, let me start by saying I am all for Valentine’s Day and think it has a great meaning behind it. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s proceed.

Valentine’s Day (February 14th) is a day for lovers to show their affection for each other in many ways, but particularly gift giving. While it is nice to receive and give gifts, and gift giving is one of the five acknowledged love languages, have you ever taken a moment to think about why it is customary to spend money in order to show appreciation for your partner? Valentine’s day may just be a scam and a way for corporations to make money.

Although unclear, it is believed the holiday originated in the Roman Festival of Lupercalia. This festival celebrated the coming of spring and involved a lottery which paired together men and women. At the end of the fifth century, Pope Gelasius I banned the celebration and is sometimes held accountable for replacing it with St. Valentine’s Day.

Take a trip to Walmart, a grocery store, or a department store. It is almost a guarantee you will see a Valentine’s section filled with animals of all kinds holding hearts with the words “I love you” written on them. Heart-shaped boxes with 6 chocolates inside. All for you to walk out a little less rich and for your partner to appreciate what you gave them and then let the stuffed animal sleep on their bed every night. To me, the meaningless yet classic gifts are just a way for companies to make money off your inability to come up with a more heartfelt method of showing love. If you are buying something they may need or have a high desire for, the story is a little different.

Another reason I think Valentine’s Day is a scam is due to the limited number of people who can celebrate. Approximately ten countries celebrate the holiday and of those countries roughly 60% of people are in a relationship. So, the number of people who can truly celebrate is limited. Although, the holiday has been broadened to include all elementary school students who exchange a small handwritten or store-bought card and maybe some candy, which by the way, contributes to the holiday scam.

Additionally, we should love each other every day and always be showing it. Why should we have a day dedicated to an emotion? The other emotions don’t get holidays.

While Valentine’s Day is a wonderful holiday and the intention behind it is sweet, watch out for how big companies may use the holidays to their advantage to make you spend money on useless things.