Remember the meaning of Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is tomorrow, marking yet another holiday that has become less about the relationships we cherish, and more about material things.

At its core, Valentine's Day began as a day for people to spend time with their loved ones and show their appreciation for each other. Gifts were exchanged not out of necessity, but as signs of love and admiration.

Today, the holiday has become one of the most commercialized days of the year. Men are expected to bring flowers and chocolate to their significant other, and failing to do so results in a trip to the "dog house."

Singles routinely feel left out, and Valentine's Day has become as much about letting other people know that you're in a relationship as it is about love. Your plans on Valentine's Day are more of a real-life advertisement of your Facebook relationship status than anything else.

What, then, is the solution?

For one, we can get back to the original intent of a day that has become the premier "Hallmark Holiday" of the year. We can take the day to impress upon our loved ones how much we care about them, instead of wasting time and money on gifts that will be gone or thrown out within a week.

This isn't to say that our significant others should be ignored, but instead of trying to show our love with gifts, let's make an effort to go the extra mile. Flowers and chocolates are just fine, but it is more important to spend time with that special someone.

Instead of going out for an expensive meal, try staying in and making dinner together. As an alternative to spending two hours in a dark theatre unable to speak with each other, set aside a day to go rock climbing or ice skating together. Time spent in the company of our loved ones is much more valuable than any material gift.

Feb. 14 is a day to show our loved ones how much they mean to us. This includes friends and family, not just boyfriends, girlfriends, fiancées or spouses. All of us can do a better job of displaying our affection, regardless of our relationship status.

This Valentine's Day, spend less time worrying about material objects and more time showing your loved ones how much they really mean to you.