Valentine’s Day is defined as “a day when it is traditional to send a card, often anonymously, to a person one is romantically involved with or attracted to.” I don’t know about you, but I haven’t gone that route since about third grade, when I had a fierce crush on Joseph Robrecht. Sure, my husband and I exchange cards—and often there will be a special dinner at home—but the anonymously giddy component is long gone.

For many, Valentine’s Day is a non-day. People without a romantic partner don’t usually like to be force-fed the notion that absolutely every person in the world, except them, is in love. And many people with a romantic partner don’t feel the need to pull out all the stops on the one day that Hallmark earmarks for love.

So just for fun, let’s redefine the concept of Valentine’s Day. Today:

• Hug someone: your spouse, partner, friend, sibling, grandchild, dog, cat.
• Do something kind: for a neighbor, the mail carrier, the UPS driver, a homeless person.
• Make someone smile.
• Make someone laugh.

You’ll find more ideas for nontraditional ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day here.

They’re free. They’re fun. And they’ll last a lot longer than a dozen roses.

Elle Gianforte is an award-winning writer and published author whose work includes non-fiction books on a variety of subjects, including adoption, fashion, food, design, healthcare, and memoir. She is currently co-authoring a new book, Don’t Stop Now, Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life (DontStopNow.us). You can see a complete list of books on her Amazon author page.