A candlelit table for two, soft classical music wafting through the air, delicate red roses and an air of scrumptious foods invades all the senses.

Ah, the infamous Valentine’s Day dinner. It is not fun calling for reservations, paying high prices and getting dressed for the occasion. Could it get any better than this?

I’d like to make a proposal: on Valentine’s Day this year, K.I.S.S. There is a duality to these words, certainly consider the most literal sense of this proposal, and then take into consideration the acronym, “Keep it Simple, Silly.” While this may seem a bit immature, it holds profound meaning as we approach the next Feb. 14.

Gifts, flowers (particularly roses), candy and other miscellaneous items are the most typically purchased items for the day. All stores stock up weeks in advance for the day, anticipating the opportunity to take advantage of foolish young lovers.

The statistics are amazing, including the $277 million in Valentine’s Day cards that are sold every year in the United States and the thousands upon thousands of pounds of candy that are consumed.

Fundamentally, the day is a great idea. It’s an opportunity to tell the people that are most important to you that they are special people and that you are lucky for having them. It’s a wonderful idea. People have an innate need to feel important, needed and appreciated.

People without a boyfriend or girlfriend, or a husband or wife, often scramble to find a valentine. With Valentine’s Day falling on a Friday this year, the race to find that “special someone” will be worse than usual.

On the other hand, people with that significant other most likely will stress over how to celebrate the day. The men will shop around for flowers, make calls to restaurants and head to jewelry stores.

And honestly girls, do you really think your boyfriend wants another little teddy bear holding a heart?

Wouldn’t it be more romantic to honor the day with an assortment of homemade and creative surprises? Maybe you could make a few cards and hide them in places where they will be found during the day or prepare a cozy dinner for two. The meaning of Valentine’s Day is lost in the commercialism of the day. The true ideals of the day are diminished with the materialism and falsities that we substitute for our real emotions. Honestly, how many people say “I love you” on Valentine’s Day and don’t mean it? It’s an atrocity!

I’m not opposed to Valentine’s Day; it does have its place on the calendar. However, I won’t be found looking for that perfect teddy bear, box of candles or anything of the sort. Principally, the day was created for people to show their affections to one another, I highly doubt that it was meant to become deemed a Hallmark holiday. As you prepare for this Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart or closest friends, take my advice and remember to K.I.S.S.