It’s that time of year again folks; Valentine’s Day. I mean, how could you not notice from the endless consumerist TV ads? Ranging from the tempting M&S Dine in for £20 deals, to the various ‘’love anthem’’ album offers in HMV, the hype is pretty hard to escape. Cue ‘’Love is in the air…everywhere I look around’’ being etched into ones head for at least the first two weeks of February. But aside from being an undeniably catchy tune, Mr John Paul Young is largely mistaken. I personally find that the air of Leeds is a combination of a chilly breeze, blended with a certain strong, yet slightly aromatic herbal scent. In all seriousness though (before I start sounding like the Scrooge of V Day), Valentine’s Day is often perceived in a similar way to that of Marmite. You either love it or you hate it. This is because it is mistakenly translated as you’re either in a relationship or you’re single. However, being the day of love, I firmly believe that Valentine’s Day should be enjoyed by everyone and anyone, regardless of what your relationship status is. Obviously, being a famous love guru myself, it would be rude not to share with you some of the ideas in which I think this special day should be spent.
So some of you lucky ladies will be all loved up in a relationship, therefore automatically having a special someone to spend the day with. However, recently I have heard of many couples choosing to ignore Valentine’s Day. Reasons for this include some seeing it as a day of forced emotion or causing too much unnecessary stress and pressure. Yet I believe this does not have to be the case. Plan ahead and split the day in two, filling it with activities to suit each of your tastes. For example, if one wants to be wined and dined and be typically romantic, go for a candle lit dinner in the evening. Whereas if your other half wants to be slightly more adventurous, do a fun activity in the day time, such as go-karting or crazy golf for some healthy competition. Just make sure the day is about celebrating the two of you. In regards to present buying, maybe set each other a price limit to prevent the inevitable ‘’gift guilt’’ that couples often fear and fret about. This takes away the materialistic aspect of Valentines Day, while retaining a relaxed yet generous experience.
Now it’s time to let out my inner Beyonce and address all the single ladies. You know who you are, you want to feel independent and empowered with the ‘’I don’t need no man’’ sassy attitude, therefore spending the day alone. This can go one out of two ways. Either you were planning on taking the wallowing in your sweatpants with scraped back hair, whilst crying to The Notebook, into endless tubs of ice cream approach. (Sound familiar?) Or you can take the second approach, you know, to prevent the chances of having a mental breakdown. This involves (prepare for the cringe) loving yourself and just enjoying some good old ‘’me time’’. Celebrate being you. This can be done in a non detrimental manner by doing simple things such as face masks and manicures or just watching some cheerful chick flicks. So instead of watching the hardly spoken about 50 Shades of Grey, why not go for something more… lighthearted… and watch, I don’t know, maybe,Valentine’s Day? Spending the day with celebrities such as Zac Efron and Taylor Swift seems extremely fitting if you ask me. And if you’re still craving some type of largely arrayed colour palette, why not go down the 50 shades of Ben&Jerry’s route instead?
But just because you are single doesn’t mean you have to spend Valentine’s Day alone. Now before you jump to conclusions, I am not alluding to the idea of using Tinder as a last minute means of finding a fellow singleton within a miles radius. However, I do believe that Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to surround yourself with people you love and that love you back. If at university, this is an ideal excuse (not that excuses are needed anyways) to throw a completely shameless drunk fest with your mates. Whether the beverage of choice is a classy wine or good ol’ Glenns vodka, celebrate being single in style and with good company. If you happen to be spending the day with your family, it is probably safer to stick to board games and a takeaway. Just remember not to take the day too seriously, and who knows, maybe next year you will have bagged yourself that special someone.
By Lauren Rosenberg
Image Sources:
1) http://bloomfw.com/date-fort-worth-valentines-day-events/
3) http://ifunny.co/fun/ensvjTrl/comments