For days now, businesses have been reminding us that Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. They have not even finished with the January sales campaign and they are already impressing upon us the importance of making purchases for Valentine’s Day. And in a few weeks, it will be Father’s Day, and then Mother’s Day, and the calendar days will pass, always marked by days for “special people” who deserve a “special gift”.

We must be careful not to confuse hyperconsumerism with expressing our feelings or showing a person that we care about them. On these “special days”, we can break this cycle and simply share in memorable moments together. Go on a walk in unfamiliar territory, enjoy a special meal, visit a little-known museum… There are a thousand ways to show people we care and that spending time together makes us happy.