Valentine’s Day is perceived as the holiday of love, but as time progressed, it became the time where you are supposed to give your significant other a gift. For most couples, this is less sentimental. It seems that each and every person who receives flowers or chocolate knows that some other person is receiving the exact same. The gifts have become less than personalized, and the holiday itself is more of a commercialized holiday than a personal, romantic holiday.

Men and women seem to always feel pressured to get their significant other a gift for Valentine’s Day. According to statisticbrain.com, a whopping 53% of women stated that they would end their relationship if they did not receive a gift on Valentine’s Day. That is a lot of pressure for just a simple gift like flowers or chocolate. This leads to the idea that Valentine’s Day is more of a time to feel pressured into getting a gift for a significant other rather than doing it out of the generosity of their heart.

On the other hand, there are many people who feel that there is no pressure to get a gift for their significant other. According to elitedaily.com, 62% of women feel no pressure to get a gift for their significant other, and 68% of men don’t feel the need to receive a gift. While some will give a gift, they feel that it really is no big deal if they get the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day.

Whether or not you feel pressured to buy a gift or not, there is still the big question on if Valentine’s Day is just a store’s fantasy or if it is a holiday meant to celebrate the love people have for one another. In 2015, 18.9 billion dollars were spent on Valentine’s Day gifts and dates.

All in all, Valentine’s Day seems to have become a very commercialized holiday that makes its main profit through objects of love, but that is not always the right argument. While many people think that Valentine’s day is a waste of money,others think that the holiday is still a magical, romantic day that should be celebrated worldwide. So whether you believe it is a day of love or not, take time to celebrate the love that you have for another person and get them a gift or take them out on a date. Unless you are single. Then you can just celebrate the love that you have for yourself and buy yourself some chocolates on February 15 for half the price.