A boyfriend walks past aisles of chocolate and flowers and wonders if his relationship with his girlfriend is serious enough for him to get her a fancy, thoughtful present without weirding her out. He wonders, will regular chocolates suffice? Then again, what does she expect anyway?

Every Valentine’s Day, many students ponder what to give their boyfriends or girlfriends. Others don’t understand why their peers would go through so much trouble to celebrate an overrated holiday.

The one agreement most people can come to is that Valentine’s Day is too commercialized. It is almost as commercialized as Halloween, the holiday that prompts pictures of candy bags and ghostly decor to be slapped onto the front pages of store advertisements everywhere. Thanks to the widespread custom of buying cards, roses and heart-shaped chocolate boxes, those gifts now seem expected, and almost mandatory.

But why should one give a box of—as some may say—fattening chocolates, or a bouquet of roses that will wither within a week? These gifts may be classic, safe bets for the guy who doesn’t know his girlfriend well, but they’re also generic and not as meaningful as a handmade gift or one that is relevant to nicknames or inside jokes.

We may have once been kids in elementary school, eagerly waiting for Valentine’s Day to get candy from every classmate. We may have once written canned expressions such as “you are a very nice person” or “you are a great friend” to kids we barely knew. But now, if we’re giving Valentine’s Day gifts voluntarily to someone significant (and not because the teacher is requiring us to give gifts to either everyone or no one), we might as well do it sincerely.

I’m not against the act of giving chocolate or flowers, and if the recipient of your gift simply loves those items, there’s nothing wrong with buying them. But don’t do it simply because you don’t want to take the time to think of a gift that is unique and amazing.

What a girl really wants is to know how much she means to you, and a good gift should reflect that. Write her a poem, bake her something sweet, compose a song in her name or give her a gift that showcases your talents, whatever they may be.

There are also numerous creative gifts that you can buy. One example is a pair of necklaces, each with a puzzle piece on it. Together, the puzzle pieces fit, and if you want you can write a special message across the back of both pieces and give one to her. You could also surprise your girlfriend with gift cards from her favorite stores, which she will definitely appreciate.

In addition to gifts, you can also surprise your girlfriend by planning a sweet date, from something as simple as enjoying the afternoon downtown to revisiting the location of your first date.

After all, Valentine’s Day is simply a day to celebrate your loved ones, including your family and friends. If you’ve forgotten to be thankful for those special people around you, make up for it with a cute gift or even just some extra attention.