It’s the best time of the year! From heart-shaped candies, flowers, cards with little hearts on them, pink outfits, and Glee Season 3 Episode 13; everything is so silly and fun! However, it’s not uncommon to see all those things and feel like you can’t take part if you’re single. But Valentine’s Day shouldn’t just be about your relationship status, and your ability to enjoy the day isn’t contingent on your situationship Snapping you back. And while there is absolutely space for romantic love on Valentine’s, that’s not the only kind of love we should celebrate!
In our culture, we prioritize romantic love over all other kinds. Romantic love is important and should be celebrated, but our hyper-focus on these kinds of relationships can be detrimental to all other relationships. If Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love, why do we ignore some of the most important relationships in our lives? It’s a day to celebrate love in all the amazing, beautiful ways it shows itself, and forgetting about our love for friends and family or not acknowledging it as important is extremely harmful.
So, how do you go about having a platonic Valentine’s Day? There are two different categories to consider: platonic and self-love. Let’s start with self!
Self-love
One of my favorite parts of Valentine’s Day is the adorable outfits you can put together. From dresses with hearts on them, pink or red sweaters, and countless accessories, the possibilities are endless. Dressing in a way that makes you happy is an act of self-love because looking your best can help you feel your best. It’s a gift for you!
Spending time with yourself doing things you love is a fantastic way to celebrate Valentine’s Day! Fun activities can include baking Valentine-themed treats, watching your favorite rom-coms, coloring, crafting, or reading that romantic novel that has been on your TBR for months. Going on a solo date to somewhere like Kiss and Tale, a bookstore dedicated to romantic books in Collingswood, New Jersey is a great thing to add to the list!
Learning to love yourself can be a long journey, but prioritizing yourself and celebrating yourself like this is really good for your mental health and personal journey.
Platonic-love
Moving on to platonic love! My absolute favorite thing to do on Valentine’s Day is make valentines for my friends. That doesn’t have to stop after elementary school! Even just bringing candy to hand out during class or a meeting can make someone’s day. People never expect it, and seeing their faces light up is so fun!
Friends stick with us through the toughest times, and that love is valuable, even if it is not romantic. It’s important to treat that love seriously and acknowledge how much the people in your life mean to you. Valentine’s Day is a socially acceptable excuse to remind these people that you care for them.
In the end, the best thing you can do on Valentine’s Day is tell the important people in your life you love them! It doesn’t have to be that complicated! Whether you are in a relationship or not, celebrate all the important people in your life this year!
Happy Valentine’s Day!