Valentine’s Day is a holiday to celebrate love in many forms and express affection and appreciation for the people around us. However, it means different things for everyone. Some are fans of the romantic side, while others see it as an opportunity to celebrate their friends, family, and loved ones.

In a form sent out by the Knight Errant, many students who responded said that Valentine’s Day celebrations and the romantic aspect only make sense for those in a relationship. While most couples do make a point to celebrate the day, others see it as a day to focus on love in general. “I know there’s often a stigma that if you’re not in a relationship, Valentine’s Day can’t be fun for you, but I like the rise of Galentine’s, which allows you to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your friends and have fun activities,” sophomore Elizabeth Cornell said.

Some families celebrate Valentine’s Day when their kids are young, making the holiday special and memorable. However, making Valentine’s Day cards and giving out candy isn’t as popular as it was in elementary school. “At my elementary school, we used to make little Valentine’s Day gift boxes and then each student would bring in candy and go around and hand it out to everybody. But now, we don’t do that. Now it might be like one or two friends, so you’ll give them a gift of chocolates or something like that,” senior Andrew Schmidt said.

Although the holiday might not hold the same significance as students get older, some still find ways to make it fun. “A lot of times I’ll do stuff with my friends, like I’ll take pictures or make some fun Valentine’s Day treats. Also, my mom always gets me and my sister’s cute little gifts. I also always wear red and pink on the day,” Cornell said.

Valentine’s Day is often known for its activities, but the meaning behind it is just as important. Some respondents to the Knight Errant form said that it’s an unnecessary holiday that gets passed over, but others think that a reminder of love in a negative social climate is crucial. “I personally love Valentine’s Day because it’s just a fun way to celebrate love, especially when there’s so much hate in the world today,” Cornell said.

Ultimately, Valentine’s Day gets a wide range of opinions and people love it for lots of reasons. It often gets recognized as a cutesy holiday with hearts and candy, but it’s also about spreading love and appreciation. “I like holidays that remind us that relationships are important and that we should love each other,” theology teacher Becca Meagher said.