Valentine’s day is the best holiday because every type of love is worth celebrating.

Pope Galasius declared Feb. 14 as Valentine’s Day near the end of the 5th century. The first Valentine’s note was a poem written from the Duke of Orleans to his wife after he had been captured in war in 1450, according to History.com . 

Since Valentine’s Day became known as a celebration of romance, it’s no wonder that Cupid is said to be based around Eros, the Greek god of love, who, Greek poets say, shot golden arrows at people to make them fall in love, according to History.com.

Originally created because of a Pagan festival for pairing up and potentially marrying, Valentine’s Day had always been a day for couples. Today, however, there have been efforts to move the focus away from couples and broaden the significance of the holiday.

‘Galentine’s Day,’ for example, is defined on Cosmopolitan.com as, “the friendship version of Valentine’s Day—a whole day dedicated to celebrating the platonic love between the women and non-binary people in your life.”

Valentine’s Day tends to be a touchy subject. Many people have had a bad experience in the past on Feb. 14 and choose now to celebrate in a more anti-Valentine’s fashion, but I’m here to provide an alternative approach: celebrating every type of love.

You’re not left out if you’re single on Valentine’s Day, instead you have a chance to hug your friends, call your family, compliment a stranger’s outfit or whatever you can think of to spread love and light. 

I use this day as an opportunity to catch up with old friends or family members who have moved away. Checking in to remind someone that they’re important to you, even when they’re far away, is important for long-lasting friendships.

Of course you can show people that you care about them on any day, as you should, but Valentine’s Day is the one day each year that we all simultaneously pause to think about the love in our lives, to affirm and appreciate those closest to us; what’s materialistic about that?

Sure, anyone can buy a heart-shaped box and fresh tulips from the store, but that’s not what it’s all about. 

The key to a successful Valentine’s Day is to not lose sight of what really matters; that there are people who you care about and people who care about you. The universal feeling of loving and being loved unites us, and that is why Valentine’s Day is the best holiday.