Posted by By Oretta Croushore, Property Manager for Home Rental Services
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Cupid is loading his bow. Romance is in the air everywhere. Flowers, chocolates, jewelry, and dinner reservations… Don’t you just love it all? Yeah, me neither. I like a chubby baby as much as the next person, but I don’t feel like they should be wielding weapons for any reason. Flowers are a lovely gesture but they are hard for me to enjoy when I know what kind of price gouging happens on February 14th. Restaurants are stupidly busy and your chances of actually enjoying that lovely meal goes down tremendously.
It’s not that I’m completely jaded by life. I feel like the card companies, jewelers, florists, chocolatiers, and Hollywood have all manufactured this day. It feels like there is a lot of unnecessary pressure to make the day into something amazing. In my time on this planet, I have finally learned that when I try to force something, it doesn’t usually bring me joy.
Am I advocating for the abolishment of V-Day? Heck no! I have some cute heart sweaters and I look good in red. With no February 14th celebration, there is no 50% off candy on February 15th. Let’s look at some other ways we can celebrate.
Palatine’s Day
Celebrated on either February 13th or 14th. This is described as a gender-neutral alternative. I love this idea of celebrating platonic love and friendship. Get together with some friends for something casual like snacks and game night. If you and your friends are not the kind who can easily speak of your love for each other, you can still show it.
Galentine’s Day
I will admit, I find this term gag-worthy. I like the sentiment, however, of celebrating female relationships. I know some ladies who have hubbies or significant others who feel Valentine’s is for the women. They decided if you can’t beat ‘em, leave ‘em at home. They go out with their girlfriends to celebrate the fat baby’s day.
Self-care night
Nothing says Valentine’s Day has to be celebrated with someone. Don’t forget, you are allowed to date yourself. In fact, I totally suggest it. A dream self date for me would be getting some take out, binging some kind of guilty pleasure while I crochet, a hot bath in a deep tub while listening to some yacht rock, and heck, I might even do some nails or a face mask.
Where’s my cynics, singles, and introverts? I’m not leaving you out.
Anti-Valentine’s Week
I’ve just learned about this and I am fully supporting it. First of all, it’s a whole week. February 15th through February 21st. Secondly, each day has a theme.
- Slap Day dedicated to the exes you want to slap. I feel like you should be able to celebrate anyone you want to slap that day. I cannot advocate physical violence but I do support the making of a list. Perhaps darts thrown at a picture. Get creative.
- Kick Day is also about those you want to inflict bodily harm upon. Again, I’m not saying you should actually kick anyone. Google says you are supposed to kick the memories and negativity of your ex (or anyone you need to be free of) from your life. I also feel like Slap Day and Kick Day could be celebrated with something akin to a voodoo doll.
- Perfume Day I’m all about this one. This is where you start focusing on yourself. Pamper yourself with some kind of indulgence, like perfume. Not a scent lover? That’s ok, remove “perfume” and insert pleasurable item here.
- Flirt Day is a day for singles to forget their apprehensions and take the chance to tell someone how they feel. I know it can be terrifying to let that crush know you have feelings. How about just letting someone know they are special to you? Do you have a co-worker who always has your back? An acquaintance that you really like spending time with? A barista who always has a smile for you and knows just how to make your latte? Take the chance and tell them. If you want to be a little more daring, complement a few strangers. Flirting doesn’t have to be all eye batting and being coy.
- Confession Day kind of like Flirt Day, Confession Day can be about laying it all on the table. Tell that someone you can’t stop thinking about how you feel. However, it could also be about making amends. Mending fences can be refreshing. Is there someone you hurt in the past or who hurt you? Have you been holding onto that guilt or resentment? See if you can mend that. You might not become besties and put it all behind you, but I promise you will feel lighter.
- Missing Day tell someone you miss them. Reach out to someone you have not talked to in a while and let them know you’re thinking of them. We all have those friends that we can never seem to make our schedules mesh with. The ones who we always say “we have together sometime.” Then a year later, you still have not seen them. Put your guilt aside. Remove the pressure of making plans. Reach out and tell them you miss them. One of my favorite things to hear from someone is “this made me think of you.” I have a friend who sends me a picture of anything unicorn he finds. It always feels like a hug to me. I love to send memes, or screenshots of random items I find when they make me think of someone. You don’t have to be a poet to tell someone you care for them.
- Breakup Day is the last day of the Anti-Valentine’s Week. This is the day to cut ties that need to be cut. Any relationship, romantic or platonic, that is toxic is on the chopping block. Do what you need to do to protect your own energy. The thing you just might need is to say good-bye to someone. I feel like Breakup Day needs its own version of the chubby baby. Maybe a sassy grandma with an axe to help you cut off the ones who don’t deserve you.
If all else fails and you can’t find a reason to honor the spirit of St. Valentine, whomever that was, you can do what I have done every year of my life. I celebrate my mom. Her birthday is February 14th. That has always seemed fitting to me since she is the most loving person I know. And, yes, we go out to dinner for her birthday, just not ON her birthday.
Whatever way you choose to celebrate around Valentine’s Day, do it with love. Love for yourself, for your friends, your family, and your fellow humans. As they say in the song, what the world needs now is love, sweet love. I feel like pretty, inexpensive flowers and discount chocolate could go a long way to spread that love. Sending out love of all kinds to everyone far and near!
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