People say the holidays are the most stressful time of the year. Well, that's arguable.
For many, Valentine's Day is just unwanted stress during a dreary time of year. And you know, it doesn't really matter if you're in a relationship or not...there's stress on both sides, no matter what you do. Apparently, this "holiday" only exists to tie you into one giant ball of tension and those silly Hallmark cards only make things worse.
The question is, do the singles or the couples suffer more? I guess the knee-jerk reaction is "singles" just because V-Day emphasizes the fact that you're alone. But you know, I've gone through many a Valentine's Day on my own and when compared to being in a relationship, I think it's actually less stressful. I just treat February 14 like any other damn day, stay home, and do something that doesn't have even the slightest whiff of romance. No "Sleepless in Seattle" on that day, let me tell you.
Not everyone can just ignore it, though. I think women have it worse. I've heard of single girls actually getting together on Valentine's Day to have like a big ol' sob party about how they haven't found "the one." There's usually some alcohol involved, and probably a bunch of romantic movies, or something. I don't know, I'm just guessing; obviously, I've never been to one. ;)
Then there's being in a relationship on V-Day. Perfect, right? A time to celebrate your love for each other. A time to honor your commitment. A time to say, "thanks for being the most perfect partner anyone could ever hope for." Yeah, well, too bad it comes with a boatload of caveats. Let's see, what's the list of questions a hooked-up guy faces at the start of every February?
"How much should I spend? Does she want fancy or cozy? Should I do both? What'd I do last year...and did she like it? Should I listen to her, 'oh, don't make a big deal' comment, or is it an obvious trap? What the hell qualifies as 'effort' in her eyes? Does she even want to get dressed up? What if her week at work sucked? Will I have to adapt at the last second? Have a Plan B?"
Yeah, it's like that, ladies. It's the gauntlet we run with almost no hope of coming out the other side unscathed. It's like the old American Gladiators only in this event, you have to somehow get past all the Gladiators instead of just one or two. And they're armed with Uzis. It's not just men who worry, either, as I know women are also agonizing over whether or not their beau will deliver the goods.
Then again, the flip side is obvious: After all, you are in a relationship, so Valentine's Day can't wear that badly on you. You have someone. Many others don't. Even so, there's no hope of ignoring this day, like you can when you're single, and performance is critical.
What do you think, guys and gals? Who's it harder on? And have you experienced both sides (V-Day as a single and V-Day as a couple)?
But wait, but wait...let's get into the optimistic spirit of the day before we stop. It'll be better for everyone who read this. :)
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