You’re single and that dreaded mid-February love fest is fast approaching. You don’t have a date, and you don’t want to go out with some random stranger. The pity invites have started flowing in. The sad looks of your involved friends are starting to appear. Yes, my friends, it’s Valentine’s day and you are alone.
For me, I don’t mind being single on Valentine’s Day. I’ve never had a Valentine so I don’t exactly know what I’m missing out on, but I would venture to say it’s a costly night of fancy, much like your junior prom, but with less tulle and more chocolate. I hate spending money and I loathe being fancy, so this hallmark holiday isn’t exactly my favorite.
A few years ago, when I went through a nasty breakup a few months prior to V-day, I decided that I wasn’t going to sit around being miserable. I wasn’t going to eat an entire Whitman’s sampler while sobbing through P.S. I Love You. I wasn’t going to try to go out by myself and convince the rest of the world that I was happy if I wasn’t. Nope. None of that for me. I decided that I would do the things that I like to do because I love myself. And it wasn’t going to involve a life-size teddy bear or a baby doll dress or escargot.
If you’re single on Valentine’s Day, do what you like to do. For me, that includes an hour-long solo trip to Barnes and Noble accompanied by some sort of funky Starbucks latte in the afternoon. After that, when I arrive home and my family members have gone out with their respective mates, I order myself some take out, take a long bubble bath and read whatever I picked up at the bookstore, put on a movie of my choosing, lie around in my sweatpants, and enjoy an entire bottle of cheap wine. I’ve never done all of these things in one holiday, I’ll admit, but I plan to this year. It’s on a Friday after all.
I know my idea of “fun” isn’t typical, so don’t do what I do unless you’re into that. Just think of your absolute favorite thing to do, and do that. Order/make your favorite food, get a bottle of favorite liquor, watch your favorite movie, and LOVE YOURSELF. This stupid holiday is all about love, right? And who loves you more than you love you? That’s right – no one.
