It is that time of year again where red, white and pink streamers hang from the ceiling or cling to the walls and couples are especially nice to each other. Yes, the holiday is a bit saccharine, but it is still sweet.

Many people feel that over time, the holiday has faded from showing loved ones that they are loved and, instead, become more about the gifts, candy and acting gooey with each other. The whole “companies just want money” aspect is also discussed when it comes to this day.

At least some of this is true; however, it is not completely accurate. Maybe Valentine’s Day isn’t completely romantic or enjoyable one hundred percent of the time, but that doesn’t take away from all the good parts.

Every day people find different ways to show others they care for them, but Valentine’s Day is a time people can use to show it more than usual and even pamper the people they love. Valentine’s Day does not milk the affection out of people, but instead, it amplifies it.

With how busy every day life is for everyone, it is easy to lose track of the people who mean the most in all the craziness that goes on outside of the holiday. Between school, sports and work, there never seems to be enough time in the day to be together.

Valentine’s Day is a breath of fresh air that supplies the opportunity to completely acknowledge loved ones for a change and to take a break from the normalcy for a brief moment.

As for the candy giving, most people love candy and buy it regardless if they are dating someone or not, and the holiday is selling it in loads. Not everyone with a sweet tooth buys it in abundance on a normal basis, but the event provides another excuse for people to throw caution to the wind and just enjoy themselves.

Valentine’s Day is not just for sweethearts. Other loved ones, like friends and family members, can be appreciated on this day.

There is nothing wrong with someone getting their mom flowers and giving chocolate to a younger sibling. It also never hurts to surprise mothers with breakfast in bed and putting extra effort into doing chores for the day.

Every little bit helps to make the holiday better for everyone.  Taking the time to even just hug a friend or two can go a long way on this day or even telling a teacher and a mentor how much they help out.

The holiday isn’t as superficial as people believe it to be. It is by no means the perfect celebration, but it is a time that highlights the fact that people need to appreciate each other more.