This past Friday, on Feb. 14, couples and friends alike in the U.S. were estimated to spend over $27.5 billion. Each person was estimated to spend $188 on the day of love; from chocolates to diamonds, Americans certainly know how to celebrate properly. But has the holiday slowly started to shift into the commercialization of relationships? Or is it an easy payday for companies to make a quick buck?
In 2025 alone, the records show a 67% increase in reservation and fine dining bookings already. In the past, Valentine’s Day has been viewed as the perfect time to show how much you love someone. Today, the affection someone feels for another is being misrepresented with dollar signs, becoming a competition of who can spend the most money, while homemade cards and bouquets of flowers drift into the past.
What started during the Middle Ages in Europe, was a simple gesture to celebrate love, individuals would exchange handmade cards with love notes displayed on the inside. However, that has become almost obsolete in the 21st century. In 2025, this will be the second consecutive year where Valentine’s Day cards are on the dip. In a world where AI and technology are taking over, digital Valentine’s Day cards are the newest addition to the holiday. The emailed “love” letters are simply being delivered through inboxes, essentially deteriorating any personal touch from sending a letter to your valentine.
Some students have found inspiration for their gifts online.
“I have tried to send my boyfriend many TikToks of what I want for this Valentine’s Day. I would really like the Chick-fil-A heart-shaped box and flowers to go along with it. But I don’t know what I’m going to end up getting,” senior Gaby McTavish said.
This ongoing commercialization leads Americans to wonder why we continue to celebrate holidays at all. Is all the hustle and bustle just to mark it up as who can have the richest expenses? And all these gifts, just to be thrown out in a couple of days. According to Mother Earth, the United States alone spends over $1.8 billion on chocolates during Valentine’s Day. Often these treats are gift-wrapped in shiny plastic and cardboard, only to be immediately thrown into the trash afterwards. So while these chocolaty treats send the message of love and compassion, their boxes are furthering the destruction of our environment.
Some students simply want to celebrate the holiday and do not need excessive gifts. “ I really want chocolate and flowers, and I was talking in a class earlier about how Valentine’s Day is basically a holiday for girls. So I feel like it’s expected every girl gets something,” junior Mckenna Kulka said. “But I don’t feel like I need everything. Just a few things to make the day special.”
Valentine’s Day continues to be dubbed as the day for love, but Americans must ask ourselves: at what cost? Has the glorification of fine dining and expensive jewelry taken over what once was a holiday of appreciation? This Valentine’s Day, Americans should focus on making someone feel loved and special without the extravagance.
