So, you hate Valentine’s Day.
Look, I get it, I do. You’ve been told your entire life that Valentine’s Day is meant for couples (read: heterosexual) to validate their interest in one another. This particular holiday has long been associated with romantic dinner dates, bouquets of red roses, undying proclamations of love, and maybe even a marriage proposal or two. Love is in the air, and when you’re single it can seem like it’s being shoved down your throat.
But, unlike Beyoncé in 2008, I actually am a single lady and I love Valentine’s Day. Here is why:
I love heart shaped candy, and decorated storefronts. I love the chocolate covered strawberries my dad sends me every year. I love the adorable Snapchat filters that are available throughout the whole month of February. And, most importantly, I love my people. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about romantic love. That is a lie fed to you by a society that consistently undervalues platonic love. Why should the celebration of such a wonderful holiday be restricted to people exchanging bodily fluids? Why can’t we embrace a more well-rounded and inclusive definition of love?
I’m going celebrate Valentine’s Day by making heart-shaped sugar cookies and decorating them with my roommates. I’m going to print some of my favorite photos of my friends and I, write a little message on the back, and deliver it to them with a “Happy Valentine’s Day!” I’m going to send my mom, dad, and siblings a card to let them know I’m thinking of them.
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, and I am so over the tired cliché of hating the day just because you’re single. There is someone in your life that you love and who loves you, take time and energy on February 14th to celebrate that love and let them know that they’re important to you. And, if you can’t find a single redeeming factor about Valentine’s Day, at the very least take advantage of the commercialization of this love-filled holiday and hit up the stores for some post-holiday sales.
Thumbnail Photo: https://www.americaninno.com/boston/why-i-love-valentines-day/