The most hated and most beloved holiday is just around the corner; that’s right, Valentine’s Day or Single Awareness Day? I’ve never fully understood or grasped the anger and resentment towards this holiday; I’ve never really felt anything towards it. Apathy is never attractive but, it’s one of those holidays I could do without, but also don’t mind if it’s plastered across TV’s, stores, Facebook, and whatever else.
I preach up and down, left and right, the joys of being single and also the perks of relationships (seldom), and so thinking about Valentine’s Day, I first have my fellow single ladies in mind. If you’re like me and don’t care what you do, what day it is, who you’re spending it with, and look forward to the half off chocolate on the 15th , then we should be friends because most single women dread this one special day of the year.
Why is it so many women fear being alone on Valentine’s Day? I don’t think anyone needs a holiday to realize how incredibly alone they are, you live through that every day, just kidding… Not having a valentine is not the end of the world. I don’t remember the last time I had a legitimate valentine…maybe high school? I think there is something endearing and beautiful about living your life the same way you always do regardless of the day, what anyone else is doing or what everyone else thinks.
If you’re single, don’t worry about what your friends in relationships are doing with “bae”, they’ll probably end up getting into a fight anyways. The best tip I can give you on liking people: don’t, and the best advice I can give is to get dolled up (physically a 10, emotionally a 3), grab one of your single girlfriends, and hit the bars. Nothing says I’m single and loving it, then going out with your friends and enjoying your Saturday. Don’t forget, all the single boys will be out too because their wifed up bros are busy romancing their girl of the week, so who knows maybe you’ll find yourself a keeper…
If you really are terrified of not having a valentine then I’ll let you in on a simple five-step method to nailing (HA) someone special on Valentine’s Day; it works like a charm.
Step One: Since Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday this year, go out Friday. Happy hour and out, why not?
Step Two: Get a little wild (responsibly, if you’re 21 and you want to)
Step Three: Find that special someone
Step Four: Shack (responsibly, if you want to)
Step Five: Good morning and Happy Valentine’s Day! Now go grab breakfast and there ya go, you have yourself a valentine.
Another method is to go out Saturday and flirt with the boy you’ve been crushing on or anyone really and shack with him and technically you spent Valentine’s Day together, I think I did that last year. Or two years ago, the boy I had a crush on got too drunk, so I drove him home and tucked him into bed. Happy Valentine’s Day, doll. It really doesn’t matter how well your day went or if it was like you planned. Every Valentine’s Day is a new memory made, a new story to tell, and something to laugh at and cherish.
Okay, in all seriousness, I think the best thing to do is whatever you want and enjoy every minute of it. Let the night pan out whichever way it was meant to pan out. If going out doesn’t sound fun then go shopping; nothing cures a broken heart more than some retail therapy, don’t forget to stop for wine and chocolate. Or go to a movie, go on a date with friends, go on a weekend getaway, go see your parents, Facebook stalk your ex, I don’t know. Valentine’s Day is just another Saturday, another 24 hours, so treat yo’ self.
At the beginning of this, I couldn’t really figure out my exact feelings towards Valentine’s Day and like most things in life, I just joke about it, but after talking to my sister, I realized I feel a little bit of sadness. Not in a pathetic “pity me I’m single way” but in a nostalgic way. I think about kindergarten and elementary school and my sister and I slaving away the night before on valentines for each and every one of our classmates. I remember giving my crush’s valentine a little more extra time, adding a heart next to his name, it was probably Matt or something and he probably had a bowl cut. I miss the innocence of it and the joy in everyone’s faces as they stepped into the classroom because they were guaranteed valentines and words of gratitude and love. I think Valentine’s Day should be more about telling the people you love thank you. You should do that every day, but this holiday should be a reminder and excuse to make sure it gets done. You never know when the last time you see someone will be, so why not tell them you love them and thank them for being your friend, mom, dad, sister, brother, etc… It is always nice to hear that you are loved and make a difference in someone’s life; that kind of attitude creates strong caring relationships and since getting no message is also a message, go tell someone you care.
So in reality it shouldn’t matter if you’re in a relationship or not, Saturday should be about expressing the reasons you love someone. Buy your friends a little chocolate or write them a cute note. The day will fly by and you’ll leave it feeling like you did some good and didn’t wallow in your own self-pity (which isn’t attractive anyways). You have your entire married life to be romanced and spoiled, wined and dined. So give someone your love and go ahead and go out, have fun, laugh, drive someone home, and who knows, maybe meet the love of your life.
Happy Valentine’s Day, my loves!