7 Reasons To Be Your Own Valentine
February 14th is steadily approaching, which can only mean one of two things: you are preparing for a romantic evening with your significant other or you are practicing your “I hate Hallmark” speech in front of the mirror. For many singletons, Valentine’s Day represents just another reminder that marriage is barely a speck on the horizon, but if you play your cards right, it doesn’t have to be. V-Day is a holiday about love and kindness, both of which do not require a special someone, as far as I know. The only person that says you need a date to celebrate Valentine’s Day is you, so toss your loneliness aside and make February 14th a day to look forward to (rather than one to dread) for the following reasons:
1) You can buy the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.
What gift would make your Valentine happiest? A sweater or a watch? A Big Lebowski poster or a vintage model train set? A Rocky DVD collection or an ? Good news: None of these would make them happy because “they” do not exist. You’re single, remember? But that’s not something to be sad about because this Valentine’s Day, everything is about you. Spa trip or Coach purse? Chocolate ice cream or caramel-fudge swirl? A bottle of wine or a life-size cardboard figure of Neil Patrick Harris? Why not buy all of them? Sure, you’ll probably have to skip grocery shopping for a week or two, but it will be totally worth it.
2) You don’t need to argue over dinner plans (or anything else).
Most of the time, Valentine’s Day plans involve a bit of negotiation. Though you may want to go to that expensive fondue restaurant for a special, cheesy dinner, your date may have other ideas due to his “lactose intolerance,” whatever that means. When you are your own valentine, you don’t have to sacrifice your happiness for the sake of other people if you don’t want to. So go to that fondue place. Buy some cheese. Sit by the fire with a plate of nachos while Justin Bieber serenades some random girl across the way. No one can stop you.
3) You have an excuse to love yourself.
Sometimes, we forget that Valentine’s Day is not actually about showing off your boyfriend or girlfriend; it’s about love, love for other people and, more importantly, love for yourself. If you’re flying solo on V-Day this year (or even if you’re not), try setting aside time for the most important person in your life: you. (This is not a PSA for egotism. Other people are important too. I’ll get to that in a second.) Make yourself feel nice and pretty today, even if that means walking into a winter storm in heels and a spring dress. Feel that tingly sensation in your toes? That’s self-love. Or frostbite. I don’t know. I’m not a doctor.
4) You also have another excuse to love your friends.
On Valentine’s Day in my high school, for a couple of dollars, you could send a group of musically inclined students to your friend’s class, at which point, he or she would be placed in a chair at the front of the room and be forced to endure the simultaneous embarrassment and joy that comes with being serenaded in front of your classmates. By senior year, I had still not received one of these singing valentines, nor had one of my other friends who joined me in a sulking session during lunch one afternoon. To avoid spending yet another day lamenting the single life, we made a pact to break our 4-year streak by sending valentines to each other. The next morning, as a group of a-capella boys sang Beatles songs to my friend and I in math class, I realized that you don’t have to face Valentine’s Day solo, even if, technically, you are.
What I’m trying to say is, when you’re your own Valentine, you can give your love and appreciation to whomever you want, so why not give back to those that have stuck by your side all these years, even through your weird phase (middle school)?
5) You can indulge in all the cheesy Valentine’s Day things you like but are always too afraid to ask for.
I know you’ve been eyeing those One Direction Valentine’s Day cards. Don’t lie. Oh you’re not? You really didn’t want those? That’s fine. More for me. There is a lot of great V-Day merchandise floating around out there, but that doesn’t mean you’re willing to ask for all of them. Take this year to purchase those “Be Mine” candies or the bright pink, heart-shaped lollipops because there’s no one else around to give you judgmental looks, except maybe the cashier.
6) You can make as many baked goods as you want and not share any of them.
When you only have yourself to feed, you can make Valentine’s Day themed cookies and cupcakes and eat them all by yourself.
7) You can buy flowers for yourself.
If you’re tired of the same old red roses, why not go out and personalize your Valentine’s Day bouquet? There’s an assortment of flowers just waiting to sit in that vase in your dining room. Not to mention, you can choose how you want your flowers to be delivered as well. Give the flower delivery man special instructions (i.e. Dress up as Matt Bomer and act out a fake proposal) or even order a singing telegram to brighten up your day!
So what do you say? Will you be my your Valentine?
Featured image via Blogspot.
Related posts:
Valentine’s Day: Friends Are Loved Ones, Too
