YOUTH MATTERS When saying I love you comes at a real cost

I am a born romanticist, don’t get me wrong. I am one of those people who like to sit down and watch a classic romcom movie with a tub of Ben and Jerry’s and be dismayed to discover I have only two tiny teaspoons left.

I’ll cry when reading PS I love You and always root for Colin Firth to win the girl at the end of the film.

So why on a day that is completely designed around all things cheesy and romantic does it make me cross?

It would be nice to think that for all these advertisers, love was their motive, but I think it is clear that money drives their focus on this particular day.

I have an amazing partner and I have bought him a present and will get him a card that will tell him how much he means to me, but I would have done this without the aid of all the reminders telling me to do so.

Going into any card shop around this time of the year, customers are bombarded with cards designed for this one day.

If you were going to search for anything else, you would have to make your way through all the hoards of valentine cards which push all the other cards right to the back of the shop, to make way for the rush customer purchases.

A money-scheming holiday some call it, and I sadly tend to agree.

And what if you are single? This is the one day of the year that advertisers are not looking for your custom. Everyone who is single is truly singled out. And if you are in a relationship, the obligation to make this one day special is truly high.

This must be a florists’ dream day, they must bulk-buy roses for the rush of purchases.

Valentine’s Day will always be around and I think it is a good opportunity to tell your loved one how special they are to you, I just wish it was based more around that than how to make a profit by businesses.