Yay, Valentine’s Day is here…aren’t you excited? Candy, dinner, roses and sadness in any order of your choosing. I believe couples are starting to despise this holiday more than singles. No matter who you are or where you are at in life, this holiday can be super stressful. I have put together a short survival guide down below to help you overcome any negativity and really get the most out of this holiday.
What is Valentine’s Day?
According to Wikipedia…."Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine,[2] is celebrated annually on February 14. Originating as a Western Christian feast day honoring one or two early saints named Valentinus, Valentine's Day is recognized as a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and romantic love in many regions around the world."
As children we remember making valentines out of construction paper and giving those to our classmates in exchange for Valentine’s day candies. Those sugary treats are what we desired and cared about the most. As we got older and into relationships, we tend to see the holiday as a mandatory choir of dinner, flowers and candy. Let’s not forget, Valentine’s Day is a Billion Dollar industry. It preys and pulls on our heart strings and demands for us to be romantic at least one day a year.
What are some things we can do to mitigate these feelings of sadness, despair and being overwhelmed? Let’s start with the couples.
Couples
What should I get her on Valentine’s day? Should I get her roses, candy, cards, take her out to dinner….OMG the choices are endless. I need to make this day special because after all I have been lacking in the romance department all year. This kind of thinking is what makes this day even worse. The guilt of not being romantic enough throughout the year and having this holiday make up for it becomes a never-ending stress upon our nervous system.
Try not to make this day a test to see who can get the best gift or who can make it more special. Sit down and work together on what you both want during this holiday. Reflect on the past year and create some romantic goals for both of you down the road. Who can we help during this holiday? Single mothers and fathers who would love to go on a date but don’t have a baby- sitter could use your help.
Maybe the two of you could play cupid with some of your single friends that might like each other. Throw a dinner party and invite them and watch the magic happen.
Doing good in the world on a day that is so centered around the "greediness of love" is also a good choice. Volunteering on this day as a couple will always help strengthen your bond and make you appreciate what you have together. Don’t make the day about gifts, make it about others and you will most likely see the holiday as positive instead of negative.
Singles
Are you sad and lonely? Suck it up skip, it’s time to get over it. Start appreciating what you have and not allowing others or some cheese ball holiday to ruin that for you. I have always said, “No matter where you are in life, whether it be single or in a relationship, they are both equally awesome.” This day is now all about you and what you get to do to treat yourself. Hanging out with friends, grabbing some awesome take out and a movie are all good ideas that will have you laughing at all the stressed out couples who are having a hard time with this day.
Just like the couples you can also make this day about others. Do you know a couple who might need a baby-sitter for the night? Doing things for others will always be better than sulking about being alone. Everyone is alone at one point in their life and they need to take full advantage of it. You will look back and go why didn’t I do that one thing when I was single? Why didn’t I take that trip? Why was I so sad?
Embrace the singlehood while it’s here and work towards finding the right person not the wrong person for all the “so called” right reasons.
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