The people you love should hear it while they are still able to answer.

Feelings kept private can be genuine and still do nothing, because the person they concern never receives them. Saying them while someone can respond turns a private fact into something shared, and the response is half of what makes it worth saying. Later, only one side remains.

Do not wait for an occasion. Occasions are rare and often too late. Pick one person this week and say the thing directly, in your own plain words, and let it be a little awkward if that is the cost.