The day of love is less than a week away and many couples are scrambling to arrange plans for the big day. This planning often entails finding the perfect gift for their significant other, ordering a giant bouquet of flowers and making dinner reservations. With all this planning comes stress; lots and lots of stress.

I believe that Valentine’s Day is overrated due to the amount of stress it can put on a person and on a relationship. That’s not to say that I do not enjoy Valentine’s Day or appreciate the joy it can bring to a relationship, but it does place a lot of pressure on individuals to be perfect.

According to a 2015 Psychology Today story by Dr. Jonathan Fader, Valentine’s Day is ruining relationships due to high expectations and comparisons made to other couples.

If couples could understand that people are not perfect and have realistic expectations, then the day of love could be less stressful and couples could strengthen their relationship.

However, that is not always the case with every couple. For some couples, Valentine’s Day is a day that uncovers hidden feelings and issues due to the stereotype that relationships must be perfect.

In order to reduce the amount of stress on the relationship, couples could discuss their expectations for Valentine’s Day beforehand. This would prevent disappointment if the day does not go as expected.

Now, there is nothing wrong with having a day dedicated to love. Love is a strong emotion and should be celebrated.

So why can’t love be celebrated each and every day? There is no rule forbidding it. Love should be celebrated each day, not just one out of 365. Each day can be a special day with a significant other.

Some ways to incorporate love into each day include buying flowers, writing a special handwritten note, going on a picnic, surprising them with their favorite drink and even watching a movie together. Small actions of appreciation can also help grow a relationship; helping with tasks, listening attentively to them and giving them words of affirmation.

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars and causing yourself (and your partner) a lot of stress for just one day, be spontaneous with your love and extend it throughout the year.