By Sammie Hill–

Every Valentine’s Day, there seems to be a cult of people that vehemently protest the holiday. These people publicly broadcast that they hate Valentine’s Day and continuously declare that it is a pointless holiday invented by greeting card companies to make money, as if they’re the first people to voice that idea.

We’ve all heard the spiel, and we’re all tired of it. Why not just enjoy the day and treat it as a reason to celebrate, regardless of your relationship status?

Sure, Valentine’s Day is geared toward couples in love, but that doesn’t mean that single people can’t enjoy it too. I’ve only been in a relationship on Valentine’s Day once; however, I’ve always enjoyed the holiday because, to me, it’s about being grateful for the people in your life that you love, whether that love is romantic or not.

Not to mention a defining feature of Valentine’s Day is chocolate—an aspect of the holiday that I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate.

Plus, I always welcome the excuse to have something to celebrate. If you’re in a relationship, Valentine’s Day a great reason to go out to dinner and show your significant other how much they mean to you. If you’re single, it’s a fun reason to go out and have a drink with your other single friends.

If going out isn’t your cup of tea, then invite some friends over. Ladies, you can grab some wine or bake some cookies and watch “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” on Netflix in your PJ’s. Guys, you can pour yourself an Old Fashioned or four and watch some “Mad Men” re-runs—and know that if you ever want to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a lady friend, you should do exactly the opposite of everything Don Draper does in a relationship.

Whether you’re taken, single, or somewhere in between, if you surround yourself with good friends and people who matter to you, fun memories are sure to follow. Thus, Valentine’s Day can be enjoyable for everyone, and that’s why I’ve always liked the holiday, regardless of whether or not I’ve been in a relationship.

So, even if you don’t have someone to call “boyfriend” or “girlfriend” this Feb. 14, don’t join the spiteful, whiny and unoriginal cult against Valentine’s Day. Instead, be thankful for the people you do have. Be happy for your friends that are in love. And be hopeful for the day when you’ll find the person who will make you enjoy all the cheesy parts of life that you vowed you’d never indulge in, like Valentine’s Day.