Attention faithful Daily Collegian readers!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day.

Yes, it's that time again. Elementary school kids head off to school with their paper bag of handwritten valentines. Couples from Maine to California remind each other that tomorrow is the day for love. Even Cupid works on overtime. Come to think of it, it might be the only day Cupid gets out his bow and arrow.

So, if you want to avoid the wrath of your significant other, I suggest you head over to Wal-Mart and pick up a few things for the special person in your life. A box of chocolates or a bright red teddy bear will do. A bouquet of over-priced roses would be even better. You know, a diamond necklace would be nicer.

That's it!

A diamond necklace for the lady in your life will surely say everything that you've been meaning to say:

Honey, I know you'll be furious with me for not buying anything, so here's a necklace to shut you up.

Aww. That's exactly the idea.

And that's exactly what the companies who produce greeting cards and little bite-size hearts with cheesy sayings want you to believe. To them, Valentine's Day is nothing more than a big business. Millions of dollars are spent each Feb. 14, and it's all because we are taught to consume on this day of love.

Didn't someone once say you can't buy love? I guess he or she never heard of Hallmark.

Did you know that one billion cards are sent via the United States Postal Service every Valentine's day? That's second to only Christmas.

So, Valentine's Day is just a holiday based on a big business of greeting cards. How romantic.

As I wandered through State College, searching for something for my valentine, I couldn't help but wonder if Valentine's Day had always been commercial. Had I been duped all these years into thinking that a card signed from your valentine really meant more than it did? Corporations have corrupted most holidays these days, but Christmas still means something to those who celebrate it.

So Valentine's Day must, too.

Convinced that I could uncover the mystery, I researched the old-fashioned way and looked it up in the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Are you ready for the Valentine's Day truth?

Sorry. I don't think I can give you a clear answer. Apparently, historians are just as confused as me. Since there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, the origins of Valentine's Day are muddled.

But, most believe that the name came from a priest who was martyred around 279 AD. The priest had fallen in love with his jailer's daughter and signed a letter to her: "From your Valentine."

A priest locked away in a dingy dungeon pining away for his love. Now that's romantic. But, honestly, does that translate into roses and chocolate?

The history of Valentine's Day doesn't just end there. The Romans had this festival of Lupercalia, celebrated in mid-February, to recognize the coming of spring. During the celebration, single women would put their names into a pot and would be paired off lottery-style to the men.

Yes, Valentine's Day actually has its origins in the random assignment of women to men. Doesn't sound so romantic anymore, does it?

Eventually, Pope Gelasius I turned the despair of a lovesick priest and a festival resembling our own modern reality dating TV shows, into St. Valentine's Day. Gee, that Gelasius guy sure did us all a big favor. Now we have a specific day to celebrate our love for one another. We have an excuse to tell the world that we're in love.

But, are we really saying much when we help commercialize the holiday even more? Furthermore, do you really need a special day to tell someone you care?

On that note, I say we boycott the traditional Valentine's Day we've been buying into for years. I doubt St. Valentine will mind much; he'll understand that we're doing it out of respect for real love.

He knows that we don't need fancy cards to say, "From your Valentine."

Instead, make a card yourself. Get out that Crayola box and draw that bouquet of flowers. They don't even have to be roses. Maybe daisies? Draw a big heart and write whatever you want.

This Valentine's Day you are in charge of what you say -- not Hallmark.

You can do a million things that don't require any retail store directly involved in the corruption of the year's most romantic day. Bake cookies from scratch, write a poem, cook a romantic dinner or take all your closest friends out for a drink.

And if you really want to break tradition, tell your boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, son/daughter that you love them every day. I don't think a little more love will kill us.

In fact, it might just make Valentine's Day unnecessary. It's important to celebrate love. The world could use a whole lot more of it. We just don't need corporate America to do it.

I think some famous band once said: "All you need is love."

I think they're right.