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As for the history of Valentine's Day, very few look at it as anything but a commercialed reason to spend money on candy and roses so that your girlfriend doesn’t bitch about you not loving her.
In reality it is a holiday to honor St. Valentine. He was martyred for attempting to bring justice against unfair rulers, which doesn't really send the heart-filled, chocolate covered strawberry message. Supposedly, Valentine fell in love with a young girl and allegedly wrote her letters from prison, which he signed 'From your Valentine.’
The Christian church had said that mid-February was seen as a "pure" time due to the beginning of spring coming and after many different traditions passed, in the 17th centuary people began handing out tokens of affection to friends and family, thus beginning the idea that flowers, chocolates and presents to express one's love are required on this 'special' day.
What better way to tell and show someone how much you care about them then to have one specific day of the year designed just for that? Because girls believe this is the time to let your feelings shine through- do NOT ignore this or it will be seen as a lack of caring.
Most of the Cortland male population said that they only remember Valentine’s day simply because it is important to their girlfriend. “I’ll only do something for it because I know it matters to her,” Dan Squires, senior, said. “I didn’t even know when the day was until I got a girlfriend and then I just wanted to show her how much I loved her and I knew that Valentine’s day was a perfect day to do that.”
Helpful hint #1: If you've been together for a while and you do genuinely care for her, the flower petals on the bed, sweet smelling candles, romantic music and a beautifully written card will say everything you need to.
Christmas is another big holiday. Even though money always seems to be tight since you're buying for family as well, she's been planning this for months and needs to know that the same amount of thought is going into this. Because we're in college and Christmas time is one of the few times we can go home to family, a surprise knock on the door is worth more than an expensive bracelet.
“Christmas is one of those holidays that happens every year so its hard to equate it to something like an anniversary,” said Becky Hubbard, sophomore. “I would spend more time thinking of something romantic to do on an anniversary because that’s our special day but for Christmas I think I would spend more time getting him a nice present. There are plenty of sales and just because I plan ahead I would make sure he’d have something really nice to open.”
Helpful hint #2: If you have the option to be together for this holiday, take it. The effort you put into seeing each other means more than anything you could ever buy. But if you really can afford buying her that beautiful set of earrings she saw in the window of Zales, take the hint and go for it
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Birthdays are that one day a year that is just yours. No one else can celebrate on the same day as you unless, ironically, they were born that day too. This is the time to make her feel special for just being her. “I think a birthday is more important to the person actually having the birthday then to anyone else,” senior Joe Dietrich said. “I mean, if it’s really a big deal obviously a boyfriend is going to play along but I’m not really one to make a big deal out of birthdays.”
And when it comes to anniversaries- this is make or break point of a relationship.
Birthdays are important because of it solely being about the other person, and for that, you better simply remember the date. All her friends will be planning on surprising her with a bottle of her favorite champagne and a feathery tiara she can walk around Main Street in, so you better have something just as fun to give to her so she can brag to them that their present isn’t half as nice as her wonderful boyfriends (plus, you get bonus points and those are always worth it).
An anniversary is about the two of you becoming one unit. If you don't remember that day, you might as well not even remember that you're dating someone. Whereas a birthday is something special for that person, an anniversary is something special the two of you can do together where the whole world is excluded. “I think anniversaries are the most important day to celebrate between couples,” Squires says. “I would much rather save all the romanticism and money I might think of spending on a birthday present for an anniversary because that’s our day and I want her to know that I’m so glad we’re together and you there’s really no better day to express that.”
Helpful hint #3: Run away together for a night or a weekend. Even if you're too busy to celebrate the day of your actual anniversary- take the time to get away together and realize why you're together. Just being together is so much more beneifical.

Honorable mentions include: New Year’s Eve/Day- both men and women questioned about this holiday said it’s a “No Purchase Necessary” holiday. “It’s really just a holiday I want to be with my boyfriend,” Hubbard said. “What’s the point of bringing in the new year with a big party if you don’t get that special kiss for a great future with the one you love?”
Dietrich agreed. “It’s a special moment to bring in the new year with someone special. There’s no one else I want to be with that night, except maybe my family.”
Also mentioned was Easter and St.Patrick’s Day depending on your religion and/or heritage. “St. Patrick’s Day was a really important holiday to my mother,” Squires said. “It was like her Valentine’s day because she was off-the-boat Irish. If my father didn’t cook a big dinner and make it special and we didn’t all wear green there would be trouble.”
So, have we all figured out the moral of the story? Don’t let your significant other abuse her reign as your girlfriend by dictating that you should celebrate crappy holidays like Groundhogs day or Rushhanna- put your foot down, gently of course.
By celebrating the holidays that mean the most to you, you’ll learn to appreciate the little things you do for each other in-between and the amazing amount of affecting that’s being bottled up and waiting for a holiday to burst out on.