It seems that every year, Feb. 14 brings a glaring awareness to your own romantic situation. Whether you are scary single or in the most romantic, committed relationship of your life, you can’t ignore the abundance of romantic movies on TV or the bouquets of assorted flowers in the grocery stores. Valentine’s Day arrives and you are just expected to deal with it.
Now for two people who are madly in love, this holiday is almost a cakewalk. Granted, there might be some anxiety surrounding what exactly to get your significant other, but your romantic situation is considered stable for the most part. So, what about the people who find themselves in an entanglement, situationship or unlabeled fling? I think the only way to approach this complicated question is to break it down into four major questions: What is your relationship like? Have you guys talked about Valentine’s Day yet? Will this exchange of gifts/sentiments result in anything? And do you want it to?
What is your relationship like?
The first thing I wanted to get across is that this question is not meant to ask for a label. I think people expect labels in relationships and two (or more) people have every right to do their own thing and be exclusive or non-exclusive without labeling anything. A relationship is more than just a word you stick to it. It’s also more than how long you guys have been together. It’s the things you do and the way you interact with each other that defines it. If it feels right, then maybe getting something for that special person or people in your life makes sense.
Have you guys talked about it yet?
I know this one is pretty obvious, but this small detail can be the subtle difference between a gift exchange or no exchanging of gifts at all. If you’ve ever asked someone who forgot to pay you back to pay back what they owe you, then you understand how awkward it can be to ask for things you want. Now just because it’s Valentine’s Day it doesn’t mean that the other person owes you anything. Some people don’t want gifts and some people love celebrating the holiday with a mutual gift exchange. First, you need to decide which type of person you are. Then from there, you need to talk about it with your special someone, so they know it too. Just clearing the air either way can bring such a relief rather than speculating all on your own.
Will this result in anything and do you want it to?
I think this is such an underrated thing to contemplate. If you do decide you want to give the person or people in your life a little something, what do you want to happen? There are many reasons to celebrate and exchange gifts on Valentine’s Day and reasons could range from wanting to show how much you appreciate someone or maybe because you want to create a public display of how you feel about that someone. Either way, there is no shame in any of the reasons you choose or don’t choose to participate in this holiday, as long as you know what you want.
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