When it comes to St. Valentine’s Day, people are split on how they feel about it.

On one hand, there is the long running tradition of gifting your loved ones with chocolate and flowers tied in with confessions of affection.

“My favorite gift I’ve gotten, for valentines day, was a Hershey shirt, from my mom, that said ‘kisses’ on it,” Alise Maxie, (11), said

On the other hand, one can observe a certain disdain for the apparent “commercial holiday” that is designed purely for corporations to sell items that are unnecessary.

“It’s whatever, it’s just kinda there,” Abigail Richardson (11), said. “It’s just a whole day revolved around ‘love’ and it’s kind of corny.”

However, it would seem the actual origins of the celebration are unknown to the majority of people.

Allow me to enlighten you.

The day in question actually stems from the ‘Feast of Lupercal’ that lasted from February thirteenth to fifteenth during the Roman Empire.

The festival was comprised of naked men with whips that “spanked young maidens in hopes of increasing their fertility,”  classics professor, Noel Lenski, of the University of Colorado at Boulder, said.

Of course, the Christian church was not overly fond of the pagan holiday.

The emperor, at the time, executed a temple priest, named Valentine, whom helped Christian couples wed.

Years later, the Catholic church recognized his martyrdom and named him St.Valentine; dedicating February fourteenth to his sacrifice.

Since then, there has been a great deal of economic development surrounding the day that serves to profit big companies.

The question remains, what is Valentines Day about? Money or love?

The answer to that, my friend, is rather simple.

Whatever you and your sugarplum find more important.

If the best way to spoil your bugaboo is buying expensive gifts that just positively brings the rose up in their cheeks, then do it.

If it would be more romantic to just spend time in each other’s arms while getting fat on cheap pizza, then do it.

What matters most is that you enjoy it.

It’s a holiday after all, and if complaining about the tyranny of capitalism makes you happy, then by all means treat ‘yo self.