China's most romantic holiday, the Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day, is celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. This year, that the day falls on today.

Many expats might not be familiar with Chinese Valentine's Day.

We are in China after all, and there are plenty of mixed, Chinese and Western couples. I thought it could be interesting to see how people in China will celebrate Qixi this year. I spoke to two couples and their confessions might or might not surprise you.

Roberto from Italy has been with his Chinese girlfriend Jenn for two years. Roberto is not a big fan of Valentine's Day. "If we want to celebrate, we are free to do it any other day of the year," he said. Even though he admits Jenn does care about the holiday, he still won't do anything special on that day. "She is not the type of a girl that would get angry for that," he said. "An unexpected surprise is a real surprise. I often get her a gift, invite her for a dinner, but these surprises happen on regular days. I think the overall result is even better."

Mela and her American boyfriend Ian do not celebrate Western Valentine's Day or Qixi. However, they do celebrate their love in their own unique way. They celebrate their three-year relationship each month on the same day. "We met on February 14, so we celebrate on the 14th day of each month," Mela tells me. You would think it must involve lot of planning, time and money. Mela explained that a simple gesture of remembering the day trumps any materialistic gift. "We normally just compete by who is the first one to say happy anniversary, because it's really easy to forget. The winner gets more hugs and kisses."

That's a pretty high level of romance, and we can only wish it will last forever.

I have always known that Valentine's Day is popular in the West, but I somehow assumed Qixi would have more importance in China. I asked Mela to give me a little peek into her Chinese girlfriends' celebration habits. Her words, however, didn't give me much hope.

"It has become such a commercial holiday. Someone will perhaps receive a hongbao, or red packets, on WeChat, or go for a nice dinner but just so that they can post it on their WeChat Moments," she said.

Qixi might not be a big deal for many, but whether you are in a relationship or single, there is nothing wrong with treating yourself or your loved ones with something special today. Take advantage of the one day of the year when you are allowed to shout out loud to the whole world how much you love the people close to you. If you fancy a romantic meal, check out some of the best restaurants for their special Qixi dinner deals for two. If you are down for some hot summer nights, go for a nice walk and discover some of the most romantic spots in Beijing. Or you can always spend a night at home with an old classic idea for a date - watching a romantic movie.